Grantee Research Project Results
2023 Progress Report: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Stakeholder-Driven Wildfire Smoke Monitoring and Messaging in Rural Nevada
EPA Grant Number: R840236Title: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Stakeholder-Driven Wildfire Smoke Monitoring and Messaging in Rural Nevada
Investigators: VanderMolen, Kristin , Son, Yeongkwon , McCurdy, Greg , Collins, Meghan , Wall, Tamara , Dragoni, Danilo , Grainey, Elizabeth
Current Investigators: VanderMolen, Kristin , Dragoni, Danilo
Institution: Desert Research Institute , Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2021 through May 13, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2022 through August 31,2023
Project Amount: $544,763
RFA: Interventions and Communication Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Early Career Awards , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Watersheds , Wildfires
Objective:
The goal of this project is to increase wildfire smoke risk mitigation in rural northern Nevada communities through the development, implementation, and evaluation of stakeholder-driven monitoring and messaging. Specific objectives to achieve that goal include:
- Install and evaluate the use of portable air quality sensors to generate accurate air quality data in remote rural communities.
- Identify the knowledge gaps in rural communities related to wildfire smoke risk and create educational materials to inform messaging.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of monitoring and messaging across the communities of study.
Progress Summary:
Toward Objective 1: Sensor packages were continuously operated at 11 rural county locations, including Virginia City, Virginia City Highlands, Lockwood (Storey County), Lovelock, Imlay, Rye Patch, Grass Valley (Pershing County), and Elko, Spring Creek, Wells, West Wendover (Elko County), and at 2 compliance monitoring stations, Carson City and Sparks. Low-cost sensor data were evaluated using quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) guidelines developed by the project team. A full field evaluation remains pending as there were no extreme events in 2023 (e.g., wildfire, dust storm, etc.). The data generated from the sensor packages is publicly available through the NDEP website (https://ruralnvsmoke.ndep.nv.gov/).
Toward Objective 2: A manuscript summarizing wildfire smoke risk and exposure mitigation information needs in the counties of study, as well as ways in which those needs will be addressed through this project, was submitted for publication.
Toward Objective 3: The field evaluation of the sensor packages as well as of the information materials developed through this project (i.e., data interpretation guide, infographics, hanging AQI wall dial, etc., based on prior activities under Objective 2) are pending the presence of wildfire smoke in 2024.
Future Activities:
Toward Objective 1: Low-cost sensor data will be evaluated using EPA certified PM monitor. We currently use BAM (Bata Attenuation Monitor, BAM PM-712, Kimoto electrics, Osaka, Japan), which is not certified by EPA. In order to increase sensor data credibility, we rented BAM (BAM 1020, Met One Instrument, OR, USA) for evaluation. Laboratory evaluation data using the BAM will be combined with previous data for publication.
Toward Objective 2: N/A, as the wildfire smoke risk and exposure mitigation information needs were identified, and the corresponding information materials were developed, during the prior reporting period.
Toward Objective 3: We will conduct a field evaluation of the sensor packages deployed as well as of the use and effectiveness of the information materials (i.e., data interpretation guide, infographics, hanging AQI wall dial, etc.) during the 2024 wildfire season.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 1 publications | 1 publications in selected types | All 1 journal articles |
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Vandermolen K, Son Y, Kimutis N, Collins M, Wall T. Identifying risk information needs of rural communities impacted by wildfire smoke: A mental models approach. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 2024;100(104182). |
R840236 (2023) R840236 (2024) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Air quality monitoring, hazard risk communication, wildfire smoke risk mitigation, rural communitiesRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.