The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface (2022) / Chapter Skim
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7 Measurement of WUI Fires: Emissions and Exposures
7 Measurement of WUI Fires: Emissions and Exposures
Pages 153-166
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From page 153... ...
The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for coordination across disciplines to collect robust data that present an integrated picture of the chemistry of WUI fires. AN OVERVIEW OF DATA AND MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS FOR WUI FIRES Previous chapters have outlined the diverse data needs associated with understanding the chemistry of fires at the WUI, which range from collecting data on material characteristics of heterogeneous structures, to measuring the concentrations, exposures, and health impacts of large numbers of toxicants, many of which will be present at trace levels.
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From page 154... ...
While this data collection encompasses both wildland fires and WUI fires, mapping tools, described in Chapter 2, can be used to convert comprehensive fire reporting to reporting specific to WUIs, if broadly accepted definitions of WUIs can be developed. Wildfires can also be estimated from satellite detection of fire energetics through thermal anomalies (commonly referred to as hot spots)
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From page 155... ...
. These fuel loading data sets may identify urban areas as unburnable and thus not include any structural or vehicle materials as a "fuel." Current practice does not estimate WUI fire emissions, and new methodology is needed to estimate emissions from the types of mixed fuels important at the WUI.
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From page 156... ...
Additionally, these methods do not estimate the heat release rate, which is a critical factor determining plume rise and atmospheric dispersion. In addition to the retrospective approaches described above, satellite measurements of fire radiative power could detect WUI fires and be included in top-down emission estimates.
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From page 157... ...
For example, geostationary satellites measure continuously but have limited spatial resolution and are currently limited to measures such as fire radiative power and aerosol optical depth. Polar orbiting satellites are able to resolve plume heights, vertical profiles, and concentrations of CO, NO2, CH4, and SO2 (Jaffe et al., 2020)
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From page 158... ...
Research need: There is a need to develop planned research activities that can be integrated into the Incident Command System before an emergency event to facilitate rapid deployment of the measurement of emissions, residues, and environmental impacts from WUI fires. Because of the limitations of field measurements of emissions from wildland and WUI fires, and because of the wide variety of fire conditions and fuels that may lead to emissions, laboratory investigations of wildland fire emissions, urban fire emissions, and mixed wildland and urban fire emissions play a critical role in understanding the chemistry of these fires.
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From page 159... ...
These measurements follow TABLE 7-1 Nationally Supported Ambient Air Monitoring Networks Siting Approximate Sampling Monitoring Network Target Species Environment Number of Sites Schedule Purpose National Air Toxic Trends Hazardous air pollutants Mostly urban, 26 1-in-6 or Regulatory Station (EPA, 2021a) (VOCs, carbonyls, metals, limited rural 1-in-12 effectiveness polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]
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From page 160... ...
Finding: Some ambient monitoring networks measure an extensive range of hazardous air pollutants that may be useful to identify the environmental impacts of WUI fires; however, these networks have limited spatial and temporal resolution. In addition to the permanent monitoring programs described above, US states and the US Forest Service operate temporary monitoring programs through the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program (USFS, 2021)
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From page 161... ...
Settled dust on smooth, nonporous surfaces can be sampled for WUI fire emissions using wipes made from various materials including polyester, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyester plus cellulose (OSHA, 2001)
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From page 162... ...
Instantaneous Monitoring by Direct Reading Instruments Direct reading (instantaneous monitoring) instruments that sample, perform instrumental analysis, and read out almost instantaneously are available for various WUI fire emissions.
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From page 163... ...
Despite recent advances in analytical chemistry, little progress has been made in the determination and analysis of fire emissions. The major limitations are near-field access to fires and the complexity involved in sampling and measuring fire emissions (Stec, 2017)
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From page 164... ...
2017. "Hydroxylated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as Biomarkers of Exposure to Wood Smoke in Wildland Firefighters." Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 27 (1)
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From page 165... ...
Inventory: Wildland Fire Emissions Developed for the 2011 and 2014 U.S. National Emissions Inventory." Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 70 (11)
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From page 166... ...
2009. "The National Ambient Air Monitoring Strategy: Rethinking the Role of National Networks." Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 59 (5)
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