Wildfires Increase Concentrations of Hazardous Air Pollutants in Downwind Communities

Rice, R. Byron; Boaggio, Katie; Olson, Nicole E.; Foley, Kristen M.; Weaver, Christopher P.; Sacks, Jason D.; McDow, Stephen R.; Holder, Amara L.; LeDuc, Stephen D.

doi:10.1021/acs.est.3c04153

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Concentrations of PAHs can also increase in lake sediments following fire, with low molecular weight PAHs increasing on average more than four-fold (Denis et al, 2012), though in one case remained well beneath lethal concentrations reported for benthic freshwater species (Jesus et al, 2022). In addition, smoke days can have elevated concentrations of HAPs (Rice et al, 2023), some of which may have deleterious effects on aquatic biodiversity (Finizio et al, 1998). Whether heavy metal, PAH, or HAP concentrations in smoke and ash or rates of loading to lake systems occur at concentrations and rates that would affect aquatic organisms has not to our knowledge been determined.…”

Section: Smoke and Ash Composition And Effects On Lake Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 94%

Wildfire smoke impacts lake ecosystems

Farruggia,

Brahney,

Tanentzap

et al. 2024

Global Change Biology

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Wildfire activity is increasing globally. The resulting smoke plumes can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers, reflecting or scattering sunlight and depositing particles within ecosystems. Several key physical, chemical, and biological processes in lakes are controlled by factors affected by smoke. The spatial and temporal scales of lake exposure to smoke are extensive and under‐recognized. We introduce the concept of the lake smoke‐day, or the number of days any given lake is exposed to smoke in any given fire season, and quantify the total lake smoke‐day exposure in North America from 2019 to 2021. Because smoke can be transported at continental to intercontinental scales, even regions that may not typically experience direct burning of landscapes by wildfire are at risk of smoke exposure. We found that 99.3% of North America was covered by smoke, affecting a total of 1,333,687 lakes ≥10 ha. An incredible 98.9% of lakes experienced at least 10 smoke‐days a year, with 89.6% of lakes receiving over 30 lake smoke‐days, and lakes in some regions experiencing up to 4 months of cumulative smoke‐days. Herein we review the mechanisms through which smoke and ash can affect lakes by altering the amount and spectral composition of incoming solar radiation and depositing carbon, nutrients, or toxic compounds that could alter chemical conditions and impact biota. We develop a conceptual framework that synthesizes known and theoretical impacts of smoke on lakes to guide future research. Finally, we identify emerging research priorities that can help us better understand how lakes will be affected by smoke as wildfire activity increases due to climate change and other anthropogenic activities.

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Section: Smoke and Ash Composition And Effects On Lake Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 94%

Wildfire smoke impacts lake ecosystems

Farruggia,

Brahney,

Tanentzap

et al. 2024

Global Change Biology

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“…Because limited data exists on urban pollution during episodes where elevated wildfire smoke interacts chemically with pre-existing urban pollution in the WUI, long-term monitoring of these interactions and quantifying how both criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants vary across space and time in urban regions during wildfires is needed. More studies like Rice et al 2023 [15] are needed across a range of cities and smoke sources (grassland versus timber or other fires) to better understand the complexity of WUIs [49,50]. As discussed by Wang et al [14], we need "Monitoring gas phase species in addition to PM during wildfire season to inform public health guidance".…”

Section: Pollutant Interplaymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of studies have found that elevated ozone and particulate pollution levels are both generally associated with wildfire smoke in urban areas [12,13], as well as elevated black carbon [14]. In addition to particulate pollution, a wide range of hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) have been measured during wildfire smoke episodes over urban regions, including acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and tetrachloroethylene [15]. As discussed by Wang et al 2024 [14], the quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and toluene are also found to be very elevated in urban air that is influenced by wildfire smoke.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Preliminary Case Study on the Compounding Effects of Local Emissions and Upstream Wildfires on Urban Air Pollution

Mendoza,

Crosman,

Benney

et al. 2024

Fire

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Interactions between urban and wildfire pollution emissions are active areas of research, with numerous aircraft field campaigns and satellite analyses of wildfire pollution being conducted in recent years. Several studies have found that elevated ozone and particulate pollution levels are both generally associated with wildfire smoke in urban areas. We measured pollutant concentrations at two Utah Division of Air Quality regulatory air quality observation sites and a local hot spot (a COVID-19 testing site) within a 48 h period of increasing wildfire smoke impacts that occurred in Salt Lake City, UT (USA) between 20 and 22 August 2020. The wildfire plume, which passed through the study area during an elevated ozone period during the summer, resulted in increased criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas concentrations. Methane (CH4) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) increased at comparable rates, and increased NOx led to more ozone. The nitrogen oxide/ozone (NOx/O3) cycle was clearly demonstrated throughout the study period, with NOx titration reducing nighttime ozone. These findings help to illustrate how the compounding effects of urban emissions and exceptional pollution events, such as wildfires, may pose substantial health risks. This preliminary case study supports conducting an expanded, longer-term study on the interactions of variable intensity wildfire smoke plumes on urban air pollution exposure, in addition to the subsequent need to inform health and risk policy in these complex systems.

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