Burn Operators Forum (BOF) Friday Dec 9, 2016 Gary Quanstrom Separate Residents and Smoke…..

1. Burn Operators Forum (BOF) Friday Dec 9, 2016Gary Quanstrom Separate Residents and Smoke….. Manage Smoke to meet Desired Human Health Air Quality Results

2. SMP- Example of • High • Medium • Low • Smoke • Sensitivity • Zones

3. 2016 Smoke Management Plans (SMPs) • Strive to provide guidance for Burn Operators to Manage Smoke such that they can Abate Fire Hazard in a timely, efficient and effective manner, and to reduce the negative impacts on human health and the environment. • The original Bulkley SMP was intended to be used as a Pilot or Template for the revision of the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulations (OBSCR) and to help guide debris burning practices throughout the province.

4. Best Management Practices (BMPs) • Pile into a haystackor bell shape to shed water and increase the chimney effect • diameter > 4 m • height >3 m • fuel continuous/compact & mix of sizes. Theory Actual

5. Smoke Release Periods (SRPs) • Smoke Release Period (SRP) is the period of time which: commences at the initial release of smoke from open burning of debris and ends when < 10% of the burnt surface area continues to release visible smoke. Note: 2012 BVSMP included SRP but no procedures to measure it. We now have procedures to measure SRPs Ignition Next Morning

8. BC Wildfire Management Services Custom Venting Forecast (CVF) Thurs Sept 22, 2016 Hydro Hill Bulkley Smoke Management Plan (BSMP) Requires venting to be: • GOOD on the Afternoon of Ignition, and • FAIR the next Day Custom Venting Forecast (CVF) called for • GOOD on the Afternoon of Ignition, Thurs • GOOD the next Day – Fri • GOOD the next Day – Sat Weather Forecast called for 90 % chance of Rain in the evening

9. PIR Burn Thurs Sept 22 9:00 AM Smoke heading towards Camels Humps In a Southerly Direction

10. PIR Burn Thurs Sept 22 12:10 PM All Ignition is Completed and Smoke Heading is towards Smithers Note early Smoke Drift below the Camel Humps

11. Sept 22, 2016 PM 2.5 was exceeded for ~ 3 hours ~ 7 PM to 10 PM Source : MOE website Envista - Air Resources Manager

12. Burn Ban Oct 16 to Oct 18 Oct 16 Sept 22 Oct 18 Oct 14 Note: The Air Quality from Oct 11 to Oct 18 was much worse than Sept 22 Source : MOE Website Envista - Air Resources Manager

13. Nov 18 to Nov 28Air Quality Much Worst After Debris Burning is Completed Envista - Air Resources Manager

14. Who Burned? • How Many Piles? • Where? • When?

15. Refer to Wall Chart for Details Does Not Include BCTS Hampton

17. 6343 piles over 6 days Combined 5068 Piles over 4 days

18. Opportunities For Improvement (OFIs) Suggestions for Discussion

19. 1. Wind Direction • Wind Direction When burning within and adjacent to the Primary Smoke Sensitivity Zone (PSSZ)and the Secondary Smoke Sensitivity Zone (SSSZ_ consider: Wind Direction is reported as direction wind is coming from • Draw a line on map from the burn location to the nearby populations centre • Check that the smoke is likely to vent away from the nearby populations centre, …. Even if venting is considered “acceptable”, • “Katabatic flows” or overnight cold air drainage down creeks and rivers • Mountains (such as Hudson’s Bay Mountain) acting as a topographic curtain to limit smoke dispersal Demo – Example Map on Wall with 45 Degree Buffer

20. 2. Custom Venting Forecasts(CVFs) These comments from Ben W need further discussion to clarify the magnitude of these forces • A recurring issue is burning in advance of Warm Fronts. This seems to give the most grief to local pilots. A greater emphasis needs to be placed on convection as opposed to wind speed when it comes to turbulence. • Static Instability (caused by the sun warming the ground) is more important than Dynamic Instability (caused by wind shear) (Refer to Daily Ignition Periods) • (CVF) Forecasters should consider that strong winds, while leading to GOOD venting from the traditional Venting Index (VI), may knock plumes over and keep them closer to the elevation where they were released from.

21. 3. Warm Fronts • Avoid Burning During Inversions and approaching Warm Frontsif forecasted • CFV Meteorologists should not issue positive burning forecasts if there is an approaching Warm Frontor very high humidity (i.e.: Fog, Clouds and Snow-fall ) as these reduce visibility and the ability to fly and land planes.

22. 4. Earlier Burn Bans • Air Quality Advisories (AQ) and Burn Bans If possible, identify trending Poor Air Quality conditions earlier and issue Burn Bans earlier than the current process • Example Oct 14 to Oct 18 • Oct 16 Burn Ban Issued • Oct 18 Burn Ban Lifted

23. 5. Burn Notification List Clarify New Process to Generate the List Comments from Ben W • Starting next year, people will self-subscribe to an Online Address for the Burning Notification Distribution List • Burn Operators will just send an email to a central address which will broadcast to all the subscribers. This removes the need for anyone to actively manage a list given changes throughout the year and from year to the next.

24. 6. BCTS – Clarify Expectations • Add a Clause to BCTS Contract to clarify the need to : • Abate: Fire Hazard, Burn Debris Piles • Notify:Stakeholders prior to 9:00AMof the day of ignition via the email burning notification list, • Report: completion of burning to the MOE and the Custom Venting Forecaster, prior to 2:00 PM the day after ignition • Submit: a summary Burn Tracking and Reporting Sheet to the Air Quality Meteorologist, Ministry of Environment (MOE) prior to Dec 31, 2016, or as otherwise agreed. Including - • # Piles Burned • Date Burned • Location (Lat and Long) • Refer to 2016 BCTS Tracking Sheet On the Wall for Details

26. 7. Smoke Management Plans (SMPs)Awareness & Sign-on & Distribution • The processes need to be improved to ensure that: • Burn Operators, are aware of their requirements and have access to the current Smoke Management Plans (SMPs) within each Bulkley and Nadina operating areas. • District Staff are aware of the SMPs and maintain tracking of the Burn Operators. • BCTS maintains a tracking sheet on behalf of their Licensees

27. 8. Alternatives to Burning • Will be limited to situations where it is practical and Economically Feasible to do so. Examples of how burning may be minimized or avoided may include: • Processing trees and leaving debris at the stump. • Scattering debris on-block, where wildfire risk and hazard is low. • Returning large debris back to the block using skidders or forwarders • Allowing for firewood to be taken • Leaving smaller piles for wildlife habitat or wet sub-zones • Allowing for opportunities for Salvage and other forest products extraction, such as chipping, grinding, and mulching, …. Subject to Tenure and Economic limitations. After Presentation Discussion Hampton (BFP) … Economic Feasibility of grinding in the bush for Pellets NEWPRO … Pellet Plant Permit

28. 9. Be Prepared Early • Alternate Markets • Assess Economically Viable Options • Smoke Management Plans • Update, Review and Approve - Target June 30 • Pile Debris • Waste Survey • Ministry Check Surveys and Approval • Target Completion Sept 10 • Allow Curing Time …. Over a Summer • Burn Reference Numbers (BRNs) – Target Sept 10

29. 10. Start Earlier in the Season Using- Fire Hazard Thresholds

30. 11. Ongoing Communications • Increased Dialogue with the BVLD-AMS, and the Burn Operators, MOE and FLNRO may be beneficial • Annual Debris Burn Tracking Reports need to be submitted annually by ALL Burn Operators • Burn Operator Forums (BOFs) Should be held annually, prior to Jan 31 to allow time to assess and adapt SMPs prior to March 31, if required.

31. 12. Adaptive Management & Continual Improvement are the basic concepts of the Smoke Management Plans and we need to Monitor, Record, Report, Evaluate and Adjust our Practices based on the outcomes

32. 13. Continual Improvement • Will occur through increased: Cooperation, Commitment and Communication between all involved: Burn Operators, MOE, FLNRO, WMS Custom Venting Forecasters, BVLD-AMS, BVCRB and the Public at large… There has been demonstrated Continued Improvement in the ability to manage & reduce Air Quality impacts on Human Health from Debris Burning

33. 14. Economically Feasible Alternatives to Burning • Hampton (BFP) Economic Feasibility of grinding in the bush for Pellets • NEWPRO … MOE … update Pellet Plant Air Quality Permit Application