Quantifying Prescribed-Fire Smoke Exposure Using Low-Cost Sensors and Satellites: Springtime Burning in Eastern...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Prescribed fires intentionally set for mitigation produce harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
• The Flint Hills region experiences significant prescribed burning annually, but smoke impacts are understudied due to limited monitoring.
• PM2.5 exposure poses risks to human and animal health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To attribute PM2.5 concentrations to prescribed burning in the Flint Hills region of Kansas.
• To quantify the increase in PM2.5 levels caused by local prescribed fires.
• To evaluate the utility of satellite data for monitoring air quality in rural areas.

Main Methods:

• Utilized low-cost PM2.5 sensors (PurpleAir) for ground-based measurements.
• Employed satellite observations to assess PM2.5 concentrations and smoke transport.
• Differentiated between smoke from local fires and transported smoke from other regions.

Main Results:

• Median 24-hour PM2.5 increased by 3.0-5.3 μg/m³ on days impacted by smoke from eastern Kansas fires.
• The Flint Hills region showed the highest impact from smoke PM2.5 compared to other Kansas regions.
• Hourly PM2.5 estimates from satellite products showed strong alignment with ground-based measurements.

Conclusions:

• Prescribed burning in eastern Kansas significantly contributes to elevated PM2.5 levels in the Flint Hills.
• Satellite-derived products are valuable tools for estimating PM2.5 in rural areas with sparse monitoring networks.
• Findings highlight the importance of monitoring air quality impacts from prescribed fires in rural landscapes.