Smoke modeling in support of management of forest landscapes in the eastern United States

Abstract

The impact of smoke from forest burning on air quality is a threat to the use of prescribed fire to manage woodlands in the eastern United States. Population shifts from urban centers to the wildland/urban interface have increased human exposures to smoke. Tighter national ambient air quality standards restrict the amount of smoke released over an area. This article reviews smoke models available prior to 1990 and those currently in use or under development. Models have become more sophisticated with advances in computer technology. The outcomes are suites of models that can describe smoke from release to vertical transport to dispersion in ways that realistically simulate how land managers conduct their burns. The results from the models can inform land managers about weather conditions and procedures to do their burns so as to minimize downwind impacts of smoke. However, effects of errors that stem from uncertainties in variables ranging from fuel loadings to weather forecasts temper optimism about the application of these models to eastern forests.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 3rd fire in eastern oak forests conference

Citation

Achtemeier, Gary L. 2009. Smoke modeling in support of management of forest landscapes in the eastern United States. In: Hutchinson, Todd F., ed. Proceedings of the 3rd fire in eastern oak forests conference; 2008 May 20-22; Carbondale, IL. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-46. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 88-106.