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Impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality and methods to mitigate exposure: A field and lab study
Citation:
Holder, A., G. Hagler, H. Vreeland, S. Katz, G. Robarge, S. Coefield, B. Schmidt, C. Noonan, B. McCaughey, AND E. Weiler. Impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality and methods to mitigate exposure: A field and lab study. American Public Health Association 2020 Annual meeting, San Francisco - Virtual, California, October 24 - 28, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
The smoke from wildland fires can persist for days, weeks, or months, posing the threat to public health. The U.S. EPA collaborated with Missoula City-County Health Department, University of Montana, Climate Smart Missoula, Hoopa Valley Tribe, and the U.S. Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory to design and carry out field studies indoor exposures and the air filtration approaches that are most effective during smoke episodes. This presentation describes the field study and a complimentary lab study to evaluate the effectiveness of portable air cleaning technology at reducing wildfire smoke indoors.
Description:
Wildland fire smoke is a global public health issue. Many communities are exposed to smoke from fires for days, weeks, or even months, which poses the risk of adverse health effects due to sustained exposure to high concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5) and other pollutants. A common recommendation during smoke events, to reduce exposure, is to go indoors away from the smoke; however, wildland fire smoke can infiltrate indoor environments, emphasizing the importance of creating clean air spaces to effectively reduce smoke exposures. The U.S. EPA collaborated with Missoula City-County Health Department, University of Montana, Climate Smart Missoula, Hoopa Valley Tribe, and the U.S. Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory to design and carry out field studies indoor exposures and the air filtration approaches that are most effective during smoke episodes. The studies’ aims and design reflect the priorities of the partners in Missoula and Hoopa. We used low-cost PM sensors to monitor indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in a variety of commercial and community buildings across Missoula, MT and Hoopa, CA. Monitoring occurred during wildfire season in Missoula and during winter wood stove heating season in Hoopa to understand the real-world variation of indoor air quality under typical ambient conditions and opportunistically when smoke events occur. These measurements along with building surveys are being used to inform what building features or occupant practices impact smoke infiltration indoors. A complementary laboratory study is planned to identify the effectiveness of portable air cleaning technology in reducing wildfire smoke pollutants indoors.