How to Monitor Air Quality in Wildfire Areas
Wildfires Have Adverse Effects on Health. The smoke and ash generated from wildfires pollute the atmosphere and cause health issues in people breathing in the polluted air. Breathing problems, respiratory infections, headaches, dizziness, eye irritation, etc., are some of the common health issues experienced by people living in areas near the fire.
How do wildfires affect air quality?
Wildfires can affect air quality by sending particles of various sizes into the air. When building structures are involved and burn during these events, the release of various burning substances also produces toxic release of substances that have various deleterious effects on health of those surrounding the event.
How long does it take for air quality to improve after wildfires?
Air quality improvement after a wildfire depends on many weather factors like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rain. It is very difficult to quantify the time it would take for the air quality to improve.
How can we monitor air quality in wildfire areas?
Monitoring air quality in a wildfire would require the use of a particle monitor and possibly gas monitors to establish the effects the wildfire could have on the surrounding communities. The use of portable monitoring stations could alert to an infringing event, giving time to react and take appropriate precautions. There is also a growing trend to develop low-cost sensors that connect to the internet to store data and provide alerts. Although these instruments may not be as accurate as FRM/FEM equipment, they still provide valuable insight to changes in air quality when monitored over a period of time.
Real-Time Monitoring Equipment
Real-time monitoring equipment displays readings during sampling to reduce the time that it would take to measure via sampling methods that require analysis at a lab. Real-time instruments can typically be set up to alert based on thresholds set by the user. Quicker analysis allows for the response to occur faster to mitigate any damage that occurs from the release of hazardous materials.
Federal Reference Method (FRM/FEM) Equipment
To support monitoring efforts, EPA scientists develop and evaluate methods for accurately and reliably measuring these pollutants in outdoor air. These methods—called Federal Reference Methods (FRMs)—are used by states and other monitoring organizations to assess implementation actions needed to attain the federal Clean Air Act’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). FRMs are the “gold standard” of air pollution monitoring systems and ensure air quality data collected at different sites are gathered in the same manner and are accurate.
To foster innovation and advance new technologies, the EPA also reviews, tests, and approves other methods, called Federal Equivalent Methods (FEMs). FEMs are based on different sampling and/or analyzing technologies than FRMs but are required to provide the same decision-making quality when making NAAQS attainment determinations.
FRM/FEM accredited instruments are typically more expensive and more complex than instruments that corollate to the methods but are not accredited.
Looking for the Best Equipment to Monitor Air Quality in Wildfire Areas? RAECO Has You Covered.
RAECO Rents supplies instrument from leading manufacturers to monitor and alert on dust levels that are present on construction and demolition sites. At RAECO, we have training materials on the site to get you up to speed, and our support staff is available for any question you might have. RAECO Rents only charges you for the days that you have the equipment in your hands, not when it is in transit to or from the testing site.