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Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program and Emerging Air Monitoring Technologies
Citation:
Hagler, G. Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program and Emerging Air Monitoring Technologies. APHA State Affiliates Webinar, Research Triangle Park, NC, December 03, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This is an invited presentation that will be given alongside two other EPA presentations by Wayne Cascio (NHEERL) and Susan Stone (OAQPS), to talk with state public health agency attendees about wildfire smoke and health effects. The talk I will give describes the scope of the Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program and my specific experience forecasting smoke impacts for wildfires in Utah, as well as discussing emerging air sensor technology and its strengths/limitations during smoke episodes.
Description:
With wildfires increasing in size, severity, and duration, communities are having to learn to live with unhealthy levels of smoke. Scientists at EPA have been working to address the challenges public health officials face in making decisions whether to close local schools, open clean air shelters, restrict outdoor activities, recommend that residents stay indoors, and how to advise on the use of facemasks or indoor air purifiers. Smoke from fires can affect everyone, and those with existing respiratory and cardiovascular illness may be more severely impacted. This webinar includes several speakers addressing EPA’s efforts to support state and local health officials in addressing public health impacts from wildland fire smoke. Gayle Hagler will describe her recent experience working with the US Forest Service’s Wildland Fire Air Quality Response program, a collaboration among multiple agencies that deploys technical specialists to support fire management teams by evaluating and communicating smoke impacts during wildfire events. She will also discuss recent EPA research to develop and assess new air monitoring technologies to improve smoke measurement capabilities during fires. Wayne Cascio will provide an overview of research related to health effects of smoke exposures and interventions to reduce risks, and will highlight use of citizen science and crowdsourcing about local smoke conditions and health symptoms. Susan Stone will discuss “Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials,” (https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/wildfire_may2016.pdf) and the air quality information that is readily available on the AirNow website (www.airnow.gov).