Burn Plan- fire behavior modeling

Burn Plan- fire behavior modeling

• Florida live fuel moisture contents

SMOKE MANAGEMENT

USDA Forest ServiceAir Resource Management

January 2008

Burner’s Proverb:

My Fire and My Smoke are My Problems, wherever they go.

(www.pfmt.org/fire)

Credits

• Thanks to authors: This presentation was developed based on slides from the Prescribed Fire Training Center in Florida, the Withlacoochee Training Center, and from USDA Forest Service Air Resources Management training.


January 2008

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVESFL Certified Prescribed Burn FL Certified Prescribed Burn

Manger trainingManger training Learn major pollutants of smoke Understand and designate smoke sensitive areas and CRITICAL SSA Know the current legal requirements for managing smoke during rx burns Identify indicators that inversions may be likely, including DI (dispersion index) Identify ignition strategies to mitigate smoke Learn the smoke screening system

Smoke Management Costs to Prescribed Burning Programs

• Reduce number of burning days

• Constraints on tonnage consumed

• False starts– Delays until later in the day, year or next year

• Extra cost of mop-up

• Monitoring costs

Smoke Management Benefits

• The continued use of prescribed fire as a management tool

• Improved air quality through fewer smoke intrusions

• Fewer public complaints• Reduction of litigation and

liability costs

What Is Smoke?Water vapor combined with

gases and small particles

Flaming fire phase

(only about 25% of the smoke is

dispersed at ground level)

Smoldering fire phase- 2x smoke

of flaming phase…(poor

combustion and smoke

disperses down drainages)


January 2008

Smoke Emissions

Ozone(O3) +

• Carbon Dioxide (2200-3500 lbs per ton of fuel consumed)

• Water• Carbon

Monoxide• Hydrocarbons

(VOCs)• Nitrogen Oxides

• Particulate Particulate MatterMatter


January 2008

•Damages plant tissues•Key ingredient of smog•Bad for human health

Particulate MatterSmoke particles are relatively small

< PM 2.5 microns

PM 2.5-10 microns

> PM 10 microns

70.0%

20.0%

10.0%

(similar size to pollen)

(similar size to fly ash)

(similar size to dust)USDA Forest Service

Air Resource ManagementJanuary 2008

Fine Particulate, PM 2.5Fine Particulate, PM 2.5

PUBLIC CONCERNSPUBLIC CONCERNS

• 1. Nuisance Smoke1. Nuisance Smoke– Increasing Population

• Within WUI• Increased potential for

complaints of nuisance smoke

– Popular Recreation Areas– Disney?

SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?

• 2. Health Effects Related to Particulate 2. Health Effects Related to Particulate MatterMatter

• Increased Premature Deaths

• Aggravation of respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses

• Changes in lung function / structure / natural defense

SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?


Public Perception of Prescribed Burning


January 2008

3. SAFETY!

N


10 acre unit

Major Highway

Winds5-11 mphPredicted RH= 60%+

Accidents in Florida by Hour of the DaySmoke Related 1992-1996

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Smoke Accidents All Accidents! #

3 SAFETY


January 2008

SAFETY

http://essentialpresence.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-foggy-florida-morning.html

Interstate 4: Florida (January 9, 2008)- FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission


January 2008

3. Safety- six burned vehicles, 4 fatalities, 38 injured. 70 cars/ trucks

damaged.

(AP Photo/Reinhold Matay) ( Reinhold Matay – AP)

3. Safety

http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/01/29/smoke-from-forest-service-prescribed-

fire-causes-school-bus-crash/

Smoke from Forest Service prescribed fire causes school bus crash

SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Objectives:

• Prevent public health and safety hazards!!

• Minimize amount of smoke entering smoke sensitive areas

• Avoid significant deterioration of air quality

• Avoid NAAQS violations


January 2008


January 2008

Where are these objectives in your burn plan?

•Description of burn unit•Map of burn unit•Weather factors•Season and time of day•Smoke screening plan•Publicity•Firing plan/ ignitions•Control and mop-up•Fuel conditions

Fuel Characteristics Affecting the Volume of Smoke Produced

• Type of fuel

• Fuel moisture and size

• Fuel arrangement and

compaction

• Amount of fuel (loading)

• Know your Meteorological Thresholds.

• Avoid:Avoid:– Mixing Heights < 1700’– Transport Winds (Speed and

Direction) >9 mph– Dispersion Index >41 or less

than 8 at night– LVORI <7


January 2008

Weather Characteristics affecting smoke

Stable Atmosphere

Un-stable Atmosphere

How else do we minimize risk?• Suggested: for

rough > 2yrs, use backing fire, unless done 3 hrs before sunset

• Mop up promptly!• Keep stumps, snags

from burning, or extinguish them carefully


January 2008

What MUST we do? Legal Requirements

CLEAN AIR ACT• States, Tribes, local gov’t take the lead

•State/Tribal Implementation Plans•Smoke Management Programs

• EPA•Sets limits on emissions / pollutants

•NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards)•Reviewed Every 5 years•Non-attainment and Maintenance Areas

•Approves States’ plans

NAAQS:NAAQS:Pollutant Primary Stds. Averaging Times Secondary Stds.

Carbon Monoxide 9 ppm (10 mg/m3)

8-hour(1) None

35 ppm (40 mg/m3) 1-hour(1) None

Lead 1.5 µg/m3 Quarterly Average Same as Primary

Nitrogen Dioxide 0.053 ppm (100 µg/m3) Annual (Arithmetic Mean)

Same as Primary

Particulate Matter (PM10)

150 µg/m3 24-hour(3) Same as Primary

Particulate Matter (PM2.5)

15.0 µg/m3 Annual(4) (Arith. Mean) Same as Primary

35 µg/m3 24-hour(5) Same as Primary

Ozone 0.075 ppm 8-hour(6) Same as Primary

0.12 ppm 1-hour(7) (Applies only in limited areas)

Same as Primary

Sulfur Oxides 0.03 ppm Annual (Arith. Mean) -------

0.14 ppm 24-hour(1) -------

------- 3-hour(1) 0.5 ppm (1300 µg/m3)

• Florida Air Quality Monitoring- Paynes Prairie Raw Data- yearly, daily, historical

• Florida smoke monitoring interactive Map


January 2008

SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

•Federal Agencies must comply with state and local regulations and procedures

•Burn permits•Others vary by state

•Visibility must be maintained•Class I Areas- e.g. National Parks >5000 acres

CLASS I AREASCLASS I AREAS

Native American Lands


January 2008

Legal requirements

KNOW THE NON-ATTAINMENT AREAS IN YOUR AREA

Areas that the State and EPA have determined exceed the NAAQS for specific pollutant(s).

Burning OR sending smoke into a Non-Attainment Area:

• May require Conformity Analysis• Completed with NEPA• Call your Air Specialist• Work with the state prior to the burn

http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/mappm25o3.html


January 2008

TOOLS to help prescribed burners plan for compliance

•Weather-related predictions

•Smoke Modeling

•Smoke Monitoring

Atmospheric Dispersion Index

NASA Satellite Imagery of FiresNASA Satellite Imagery of Fires in Georgia: May 7, 2007in Georgia: May 7, 2007

TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKETOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKESmoke Modeling


January 2008

• Burn PlanBurn Plan Day of Burn Day of Burn– SIMPLE SMOKE SCREENING– SASEM– V-SMOKE– V-SMOKE GIS– SMOKE IMPACT SPREADSHEET– HYSPLIT– PB-PIEDMONT– BLUESKY– Available: http://shrmc.ggy.uga.edu/smoke/


January 2008

TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE•Weather-related predictions


January 2008

TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKESmoke Modeling

FCAMMSFCAMMS

FireFire

Consortia Consortia

for for

AdvancedAdvanced

Modeling Modeling ofof

MeteoroloMeteorologygy

and and Smoke.Smoke.

TOOLS FOR MANAGING TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKESMOKESmoke Modeling: V-SMOKE


January 2008

• VSMOKE: Level II model used to

predict period by period particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and visibility estimates at 31 distances (0.06 - 62 miles).

• http:// 216.48.37.155/vsmoke

• Primary contact: – Bill Jackson 828-257-

4815

TOOLS FOR MANAGING TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKESMOKESmoke Modeling: V-SMOKE GIS

• VSMOKE-GIS: • For use in flat to gently rolling

terrain, and steady wind conditions.

• http:// 216.48.37.155/vsmoke

• Primary contact: – Bill Jackson 828-257-4815Bill Jackson 828-257-4815


January 2008

TOOLS FOR MANAGING TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKESMOKESmoke Modeling: FL Simple Smoke Screening System


January 2008

Smoke Sensitive Area(SSA)

• An area of which, for reasons of visibility, health or human welfare, smoke could have an

adverse impact

FL Simple Smoke Screening System

Examples of SSAs

• Class 1 areas• Schools• Airports• Assisted Living Facilities• Hospital• Highways• Populated areas• Recreation areas

FL Simple Smoke Screening System

Smoke Screening System

Thank you for keeping smoke to a minimum!

Step 1 - Determining Area Affected by Smoke Plume

• Using an administrative map, plot wind direction from planned burn for distance indicated.– 5 miles for grass or backing fires– 10 miles for heading fires or large burns (250

acres or larger).– 30 miles for logging debris

Step 1 - Determining Area Affected by Smoke Plume (cont’d)

• Draw lines from each end of the fire perimeter at a 30 degree angle from the wind direction and draw arcs at a distance indicated above. This is your probable smoke impact area during the day. (If variable winds, use 45 degrees)

•Draw lines from each end of the fire perimeter at a 30 degree angle from the wind direction and draw arcs at a distance indicated above. This is your probable smoke impact area during the day. (If variable winds, use 45 degrees)

Step 1 - Determining Area Affected by Smoke Plume (cont’d)

• Go down drainage (canals/rivers) for one-half the distance determined above, but do not spread out, except to cover the valley bottom. This is your probable impact area during the night. (If active fire at night, go the same distance, do not half).– Note: If palmetto/Gallberry fuel, double

distance to 10 and 20 miles for this step.

Step 2 - Identify Smoke Sensitive Areas

• Identify and mark any smoke-sensitive areas located within both probable impact areas plotted in step 1– If no potential targets are found, you may burn

as prescribed.– If the area to be burned contains organic soils do

not burn.– If any targets are found, continue screening

process.

Step 3 - Identify Critical Smoke Sensitive Areas

• Critical Smoke Sensitive areas are:

1. Those that already have an air pollution or visibility problem.

Step 3 - Identify Critical Smoke Sensitive Areas

2. Those within the probable smoke impact area as determined below. If the distance determined in Step 1 was:• 5 miles, any smoke sensitive area within 1/2 mile is critical

(DW/DD)

• 10 miles, any smoke sensitive area within 1 mile is critical

• 20 miles, any smoke sensitive area within 2 miles is critical

• 30 miles, any smoke sensitive area within 3 miles is critical

Step 3 - Identify Critical Smoke Sensitive Areas (cont’d)

• If any critical smoke sensitive areas are located, do not burn under present prescription.– Prescribe a new wind direction that will miss

the critical smoke sensitive area.– If SSA is in the last half of the critical distance,

reduce area to burn by 1/2 and complete burn 3 hours before sunset.

– or use some alternative other than burning

Step 4 - Determine Fuel Type

• From the list below determine which broad type best fits your fuel.– Grass (with pine overstory)

– Light brush

– Pine needle litter

– Palmetto-Gallberry

– Windrowed logging debris

– Scattered logging debris or small piles

Step 4 - Determine Fuel Type (cont’d)

• Review fuel categories– If the fuel type is described by one of the

categories in first part of step 4, continue.– If not, pick the fuel type for which fire behavior

and smoke production most nearly compare with yours and proceed with extreme caution on the first few burns.


• If fuel type is windrowed logging debris, and you have identified smoke sensitive areas, do not burn under present prescription.– Prescribe a new wind direction to avoid all

smoke sensitive areas, and return to the beginning of the system.

– If you cannot avoid all smoke sensitive areas, you will need a better procedure than this simple screening system.


• If the fuel type is scattered logging debris, or small clean, dry piles the following conditions should be met:– Size of the area to burn < than 100 acres– No Major highway within 5 miles– No other smoke sensitive areas within 3 miles

down drainage.– If RH is predicted to stay below 80% & surface

wind above 4 mph all night, the distance in 2&3 can be cut by 1/2.


• Total fuel loading should be < than 10 tons/acre. Generally the total fuel loading will be < when the age of the fuel is less than:– Grass - any age– Light brush < 7 yrs (10 if BA is < 100 Sq ft)– Loblolly w/P&G Under-story & BA < 150 - 7 yrs– Little or no understory & BA < 150 - 15 yrs– Slash pine W/P&G understory & BA < 150 - 5 yrs– Little/no understory & BA 150 - 8 yrs

Note - If > 10 tons/acre, double the distance

Step 5 - Minimizing Risk

• If your planned burn meets all the criteria so far and you can answer yes to the following questions, you may burn as prescribed.

• If not, change prescription so all answers are yes or do not burn.– Is mixing height > 1700 feet– Is transport wind speed > 9mph– Is background visibility at least 5 miles.

Step 5 - Minimizing Risk (cont’d)

– If fuel is older than 2 yrs, is backing fire prescribed or can burn be completed 3 hours before sunset

– Can prompt mop-up and smoke hazard monitoring be achieved?

– If smoke sensitive area is in trajectory of two plumes, is it at least 1 mile form either source?

– At night, are winds > 4 mph, RH < 80% and is backing fire prescribed?

– If there are too many stumps etc, are you taking steps to keep them from burning?

More things to consider before approving the Burn Plan:

• Potential for Plume Collapse?– Mass ignition (e.g. aerial ignitions)

• Smoke Plume Rises Above Mixing Height• Potential Effects Farther Downwind/ in urban areas

(60-100+ miles)

• What is the Contingency Plan?• Will Timely Information Be Made Available ?

– Notification List in Burn Plan- who will contact those who may be impacted?

– Inform Public / Press of Smoke ImpactsUSDA Forest Service


BURN PLANS: SMOKE

• Determine your method and frequency of weather forecasts and smoke monitoring – Daytime v. Nighttime Dispersal?– Multiple Day Burns?– Look Beyond Day/Time of Burn

• Are Conditions Expected to Change Overnight

– Minimum: Check Daily Until Declared “Out”

• Define conditions to leave fire unstaffed at the end of the burn... USDA Forest Service


BURN PLANS: SMOKEBefore Approving the Burn Plan:

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:Smoke Management Benefits

• The continued use of prescribed fire as a

management tool

• Improved air quality through fewer smoke

intrusions

• Fewer public complaints

• Reduction of litigation and liability costs

Burn Plan- fire behavior modeling

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Transcript of Burn Plan- fire behavior modeling