Grantee Research Project Results
2024 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 , 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, 2023 through August 31,2024
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: Watersheds , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Early Career Awards , Air Quality and Air Toxics , 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 two compliance monitoring stations, Carson City and Sparks. Field evaluation of the sensor packages and communication methods (i.e., cellular network and satellite) were completed. The data generated from the sensor packages is publicly available through the NDEP website (https://ruralnvsmoke.ndep.nv.gov/).
Toward Objective 2: A journal article summarizing wildfire smoke risk and exposure mitigation needs in the counties of study, as well as ways in which those needs will be addressed through this project, was published in the International Journal or Disaster Risk Reduction (see below).
Toward Objective 3: The field evaluation of the sensor packages developed through this project was conducted during summer/fall 2024 and included development of calibration equation. The equation will be improved throughout the 2025 wildfire season. The evaluation of the information materials developed through this project (i.e., data interpretation guide, infographics, hanging AQI wall dial, etc.) was initiated in summer/fall 2024 and will continue into the 2025 wildfire season.
Future Activities:
Toward Objective 1: N/A, as Objective 1 is complete.
Toward Objective 2: N/A, as Objective 2 is complete.
Toward Objective 3: The sensor calibration equation will be improved using 2025 wildfire season data. Two publications will be developed based on the sensor data evaluation tasks. Data collection and analysis for the evaluation of the information materials developed through this project will be completed and a publication will be drafted based on the findings.
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:
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
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.