Above: The Cottonwood Fire west of Chadron, Nebraska, July 18, 2012. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
The article below was written and published by the U.S. Forest Service. It seems ironic that much of the smoke described comes from fires being fought or “managed” on the agency’s lands, but this article does not address what is being done to mitigate those pollutants being generated. Or what their plans are to protect or even monitor the health of their 10,000 wildland firefighters who are chronically exposed to smoke. Their advice if smoke is a problem? Don’t go outside.
Where there’s fire there’s smoke and it’s bad for your health
By: Robert Westover
USDA Forest Service
Office of Communication
August 24, 2018
Deadly and destructive wildland fires consuming so much of the West, from California all the way to British Columbia, are not only affecting those who have had to flee but those who are downwind of these massive infernos. Smoke from this year’s summer wildfires have delayed air traffic in the Seattle area and even resulted in warnings for healthy adults to stay inside.
Smoke-related health symptoms include scratchy throat coughing, sinus inflammation, stinging eyes and runny nose and sometimes headaches. And, according to the CDC, exposure to wildland fire smoke can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat or wheezing or bring on an asthma attack. Sometimes those with heart disease may experience chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath and fatigue.
At one point, in early July, before the prevailing winds helped de-choke Washington state, Seattle was reported to have the worst air quality in the nation. Colorado wasn’t spared as smoke from Canadian blazes blocked the view of the Rocky Mountains throughout the Denver metro area. In the San Francisco Bay area, smoke from wildfires on Forest Service managed lands north of the bay forced authorities to issue a rare air quality advisory. They even suggested people not drive to limit additional pollutants in the air and advised those with certain health issues, like asthma, to stay inside. And in Portland, Oregon, public schools suspended outdoor sports activities.
Wildland fire smoke includes particles from not only burning trees and grasses but also chemicals from buildings mixed with gases. So if your eyes feel like they’re stinging, smoke exposure could also be inflicting other damage as particles could be getting into your respiratory system.
So what do you do to avoid health issues caused by poor quality air from wildfires?
Heed the advice of authorities and stay inside once a smoke alert has been issued. Also if you see or smell smoke from wildfire in your area or a place you plan to visit, check the national Air Quality Index website to see if you should stay inside.
“…There was no overnight mapping by a fixed wing aircraft Thursday night. One of the two U.S. Forest Service infrared scanning planes was down with mechanical difficulties, which could be the reason for the “unable to fill”. It was smoky over the fire during the night but that usually does not prevent imaging the fire, unlike clouds which prevent the infrared light from reaching the sensor on the aircraft. The ability to “see” through smoke is one of the primary attributes of infrared sensing technology. However an intense convection column containing smoke, ash, and burning embers can be confused with heat on the ground.
“During the large vegetation fires in southern California in 2003 some of the convection columns were so powerful that the windshields on six air tankers were cracked by chunks of debris that were being hurled into the air (page D-6 in 2003 California Governor’s Blue Ribbon Report; huge 20 Mb file). One pilot saw a four by eight sheet of plywood sail past at 1,500 feet.”
Do any of our readers who are pilots have similar experiences?
Government can’t SOLVE problems, government IS the problem!
So it was very refreshing to read an excellent editorial in the Missoulian which supports a decision made by government officials. In this case, it was a decision not to attempt to aggressively suppress the Kootenai Creek fire in the Bitteroot National Forest in Montana.
From the Missoulian:
When a fire in Kootenai Creek blazed to life more than two months ago, Bitterroot National Forest officials warned it would likely burn through the summer.Kootenai Creek fire, Sept. 26, 2009
They explained, and news outlets including the Missoulian reported, that they would be keeping a close eye on the fire, and if it grew to threaten private property they would be ready to jump on it. They also explained that it was too dangerous – and ineffective – to send in firefighting crews or fire retardant-bombing aircraft so long as the flames clung to the side of a rough canyon.
So, while many Bitterroot Valley residents have had to live with the smoke and smolder since mid-July, they could do so knowing that the lives of firefighters were not being risked unnecessarily – and that forest managers were not throwing away massive amounts of taxpayer money to fight a fire that threatened no homes.
And once the Kootenai fire moved too close for comfort to private lands near Stevensville, they could see for themselves that firefighting crews moved quickly to box it in.
InciWeb photo.
Nevertheless, the front-row lesson in fire management has left some Bitterroot residents feeling burned. Some of these folks would have liked to see fire management officials order the fire out right away. They seem to think it should never have been allowed to burn so long, or to come so close to private property.A resident near the Kootenai Creek fire thanks firefighters
They should take care to remember that firefighters did jump on a number of small fires in the area – and extinguish them just as quickly as they sprang up. The Kootenai fire too was tackled as soon as it had reached more open terrain. It has been, and will likely continue to be, managed exactly according to plan, and the people managing this fire deserve praise for their handling of it. They are, after all, experienced experts in fire management and know best which fires to tackle and which to leave alone.
They also understand that it is not worth one firefighter’s life to save someone’s property.
Every summer serves as a reminder that we in western Montana are living in a fire-dependent ecosystem. If you choose to live in the forest, fire is a risk you run. In fact, this summer Gov. Brian Schweitzer has taken pains to let all Montanans know that those who reside in the urban-wildland interface must take steps to mitigate their risk of fire damage, and not just assume that government agencies will ride to the rescue.
Despite some wet weather earlier this summer, September is shaping up to be dry and windy enough to encourage additional fire activity. The cooler weather will help, but it alone won’t put out any fires.
Next time a fire flares up – and there always is a next time when you live in western Montana – and fire managers tell us what they are planning to do, we should all listen.
Thank you, editorial staff of the Missoulian.
It reminds me of an episode on The West Wing in 2001 called “Ways and Means“. Part of the plot involves a “fire use” fire in Yellowstone National Park that is not being aggressively suppressed. The Governor of Wyoming is incensed that the National Park Service is not putting out the fire and strongly argues with President Josiah Edward “Jed” Bartlet to put it out immediately. But Bartlet consults with personnel in the Department of Interior and decides that the National Park Service is right.
Here is an excerpt from the script of the show. “Leo McGarry” is President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff. He walks into an office and sees the President:
LEO
Good evening.
BARTLET
The governor of Wyoming was an inch and a half away from calling me a pyromaniac tonight.
LEO (sarcastically)
That’s surprising ’cause we really had respect from him before.
BARTLET
I’m saying somewhere out there is a registered voter who’s thinking, ‘You know, I thought I really liked this Bartlet fellow, but now that I see he’s in favor of fire…’
LEO
He thinks it’s gonna adversely affect tourism.
BARTLET
It’s the end of the season and the fire isn’t anywhere near tourists. Letting this fire burn is good for the environment. You know how I know?
When a fire in Kootenai Creek blazed to life more than two months ago, Bitterroot National Forest officials warned it would likely burn through the summer.Kootenai Creek fire, Sept. 26, 2009
InciWeb photo.
When a fire in Kootenai Creek blazed to life more than two months ago, Bitterroot National Forest officials warned it would likely burn through the summer.
Part of the plot involves a “fire use” fire in Yellowstone National Park that is not being aggressively suppressed. The Governor of Wyoming is incensed that the National Park Service is not putting out the fire and strongly argues with President Josiah Edward “Jed” Bartlet to put it out immediately. But Bartlet consults with personnel in the Department of Interior and decides that the National Park Service is right.