### 1



### 2008 Northern California Wildfires

Beginning June 20, 2008, lightning from a series of thunderstorms ignited hundreds of

fires throughout Northern and Central California. By the time the last of the fires were

finally contained in September, over 26 count ies had been affected, with over a million

acres burned. PM2.5 FRM monitors throughout the Northern and Central regions of

California exceeded the PM2.5 24

- hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

of 35 ug/m3.

Documentation for this natural even t was prepared by ARB staff and posted on the ARB

website at http://www.arb.ca.gov/desig/excevents/2008wildfires.htm for public review

beginning July 20, 2009. An announcement of this posting was sent to all Air Districts

as well as through the email list serv established for public interested in State

designation activities. No comments were received.

The major Federal Wildland fires during this time period are shown in Table 1. The

locations of the se wildfires, as well as the affected PM2.5 monitors, ar e shown in the

accompanying map in Figure 1. As can be noted, monitoring sites were affected by

numerous fires, with variations in concentrations at the sites dependent on weather

conditions and topography

, as well as the relative strength and proximity o f various fires

to the monitoring sites on a given day

.

TABLE 1

- Federal Wildland Fire Incidents in Northern California

– June 20 to

September 7, 2008

Map

Number Incident

Number Incident Name Latitude Longitude Size

(acres) Start

Date Controlled

Date

1 CA

- SRF

1057 Blue 41.5664

- 123.8217 225 6/20/2008

2 CA

- SRF

1224 Blue 2 41.5664

- 123.8217 9,728 6/20/2008

3 CA

- SRF

1123 Hell' s Half 40.7511

- 123.5956 15,146 6/20/2008

4 CA

- HUU

003384 Humboldt Complex 40.3994

- 123.9494 1,325 6/20/2008

5 CA

- SHF

1041 LIME COMPLEX 40.5342

- 123.4508 99,585 6/20/2008

6 CA

- SRF

1120 Mad Complex 40.3047

- 123.5364 3,705 6/20/2008

7 CA

- MEU

0 04608 MEU Lightning

Complex 39.5139

- 123.2083 54,819 6/20/2008 11/4/2008

8 CA

- CZU

005581 TRABING 36.9319

- 121.8089 630 6/20/ 2008 6/24/2008

9 CA

- SRF

1126 Ukonom

- South

Complex 41.3547

- 123.5364 58,871 6/20/2008

10 CA

- SHF

001079 ALPS COMPLEX 40.9194

- 123.2381 1,218 6/21/2008

11 CA

- TNF

1011 American River

Complex 39.1439

- 120.6725 20,541 6/21/2008

### 2

Map

Number Incident

Number Incident Name Latitude Longitude Size

(acres) Start

Date Controlled

Date

12 CA

- LPF

1649 Basin C omplex 36.2103

- 121.7394 162,818 6/21/2008

13 CA

- BEU

002390 BROWN 36.7622

- 121.1750 3,870 6/21/2008 6/24/2008

14 CA

- BTU

007660 BTU Lightning

Complex 39.8797

- 121.4000 64,995 6/21/2008 10/3/2008

15 CA

- PNF

000539 Canyon Complex 39.7039

- 121.2483 47,680 6/21/2008 10/1/2008

16 CA

- LNF

2713 CUB Complex 40.1808

- 121.5622 19,718 6/21/2008

17 CA

- KNF

002970 Gould 41.2003

- 12 3.0464 229 6/21/2008 7/2/2008

18 CA

- SHF

1057 Iron & Alps

Complexes 40.7325

- 123.0539 105,805 6/21/2008

19 CA

- MNF

000579 June ABCD

Complex 39.5025

- 122.2025 3,000 6/21/2008

20 CA

- KNF

3393 Klamath Theater 41.6600

- 123.1850 192,038 6/21/2008

21 C A

- LNF

002729 LNF June

Lightning Complex 40.3750

- 120.6250 200 6/21/2008 7/3/2008

22 CA

- MMU

008048 Mariposa Complex 37.345 0

- 120.2142 2,500 6/21/2008 6/24/2008

23 CA

- STF

1063 North Mountain 37.8833

- 119.8792 2,889 6/21/2008

24 CA

- MMU

008107 OLIVER 37.4511

- 119.7533 2,789 6/21/2008

25 CA

- SNF

0715 OLIVER

COMPLEX 37.4511

- 119.7533 1,000 6/21/2008

26 CA

- LNF

002745 P eterson 40.9114

- 121.3789 1,200 6/21/2008

27 CA

- LNF

002782 Peterson Complex 40.9000

- 121.3333 7,842 6/21/2008

28 CA

- LMU

2725 Popcorn 40.9347

- 121.3342 3,000 6/21/2008

29 CA

- SHU

004727 SHU LIGHTNING

COMPLEX 40.5708

- 122.3558 86,500 6/21/2008

30 CA

- SNF

718 SILVER

COMPLEX 36.4392

- 119.6772 1,161 6/21/2008

31 CA

- KNF

002975 Siskiyou / Blue 2

Complex 41.5894

- 123.5800 82,186 6/21/2008

32 CA

- MNF

645 SODA COMPLEX 39.3750

- 122.9756 8,632 6/21/2008

33 CA

- TGU

4245 TGU LIGHTNING

COMPLEX 40.1872

- 122.2069 22,907 6/21/2008 7/6/2008

34 CA

- WNP

1095 Whiskeytown

Complex 40.6000

- 122.6333 6,420 6/21/2008

35 CA

- LNU

004790 WILD 38.3000

- 122.2044 NR 6/21/2008 6/26/2008

36 CA

- MNF

000663 Yolla Bolly

Complex 40.0703

- 122.9653 NR 6/21/2008 9/15/2008

37 CA

- TNF

1015 Yuba River

Complex 39.3664

- 120.8206 4,254 6/21/2008

38 CA

- LNF

002776 Antelope 40.2519

- 121.8664 600 6/22/2008

39 CA

- SCU

- HUMMINGBIRD 37.0353

- 121.6553 794 6/22/2008

### 3

Map

Number Incident

Number Incident Name Latitude Longitude Size

(acres) Start

Date Controlled

Date

3094

40 CA

- LNF

002777 Mill 40.1503

- 121.8475 1,500 6/22/2008

41 CA

- LNF

002781 Mill Complex 40.1503

- 121.8475 2,100 6/22/2008

42 CA

- CZU

005708 Quarry 37.6847

- 122.4033 300 6/22/2008 6/29/2008

43 CA

- LNU

004843 WALKER 39.0714

- 122.4947 NR 6/22/2008 7/3/2008

44 CA

- SCU

003091 WHITEHURST 37.0100

- 121.6692 2 00 6/22/2008

45 CA

- BDF

6944 CAJON 34.2281

- 117.4228 100 6/23/2008

46 CA

- LMU

2759 Corral 40.8681

- 120.8825 12,434 6/23/2008

47 CA

- KRN

19301 BENA 35.2725

- 118.6128 120 6/27/2008 6/27/2008

48 CA

- SQF

001356 PIUTE 35.4308

- 118.4011 37,026 6/28/2008 8/31/2008

49 CA

- KNF

003204 No Mans 41.7219

- 123.5325 200 6/30/2008 7/6/2008

50 CA

- LPF

1778 Gap 34.4869

- 119.7828 9,443 7/1/2008

51 CA

- LMU

002934 Dixie 40.8853

- 121.0844 350 7/2/2008 7/4/2008

52 CA

- KNP

0020 Tehipite 36.9047

- 118.7986 11,596 7/19/ 2008 12/10/2008

53 CA

- TCU

006881 FRENCH 37.9767

- 120.4808 102 7/22/2008 7/26/2008

54 CA

- KNF

003624 Panther 41.5919

- 123.4308 72,344 7/22/2008

55 CA

- MMU

009779 Telegraph 37.5675

- 119.9969 34,091 7/25/2008

56 CA

- TCU

7033 Serpentine 37.8089

- 120 .3014 162 7/26/2008 7/28/2008

57 CA

- PNF

000784 RICH 40.0114

- 121.1836 6,112 7/29/2008 12/1/2008

58 CA

- BTU

9395 Craig 39.5667

- 121.3669 2,001 8/3/2008 8/22/2008

59 CA

- INF

000656 SHERWIN 37.6106

- 118.9403 347 8/3/2008

60 CA

- LPF

002250 Santa Lucia

Lightning Complex 34.9678

- 120.1297 244 8/15/2008 9/2/2008

61 CA

- BNP

0437 Jack 41.8267

- 121.5594 6,900 8/17/2008

62 CA

- KNF

004096 Slinkard 41.8164

- 123.1653 374 8/17/2008

63 CA

- FKU

009403 Avenal 35.9639

- 120.1078 946 8/19/2008 8/20/2008

64 CA

- SHU

006888 Lake 40.6031

- 122.3819 110 8/26/2008 8/30/2008

65 CA

- SHU

6922 Olinda 40.4122

- 122.3450 186 8/27/2008 8/30/2008

66 CA

- SHF

1949 ELMORE 40.8450

- 122.3633 343 9/7/2008

67 CA

- SHF

1944 GULCH 40.3667

- 122.9350 2,847 9/7/2008

### 4



### FIGURE 1

– Major Federal Wildfires and PM2.5 (FRM, FEM, and BAM) Monitoring

Sites in California

### 5



### The fires were scattered throughout Northern a nd Central California. Due to the

number of fires, both large and small, the complex terrain and the local ly

- influenced , as

well as regional, meteorological conditions, smoke impacts at the sites varied.

Portola, in Plumas County in the Mountain Countie s Air Basin, is at an elevation of

approximately 4,800 feet and is surrounded by hilly terrain. The monitoring site , in a

small valley, is located on the roof of a building at an elevation of 4,895 feet.

The town of Quincy, approximately 27 miles west

- no rthwest of Portola, is at an

elevation of about 3,400 feet in hilly terrain. The monitoring site , in a small valley, is

located on the roof of a building at an elevation of 3,422 feet.

Redding, in northern Shasta County in the Sacramento Valley Air Basi n, is almost 90

miles northwest of Quincy and 115 miles northwest of Portola. Located between the

Cascades and the Trinity Alps, t he town has an approximate elevation of 560 feet. The

monitoring site , in fairly level terrain, is located atop a building a t an elevation of 488

feet.

PM2.5 FRM data is available for the monitoring site at Portola from 2000 through 2008.

Basic statistics for the monitor for this time period are shown in Table 2. The

accompanying histogram illustrates the historically low lev els of PM2.5 at this site, with

96% of all concentrations occurring at or below the 24

- hour NAAQS; 1 2 % of those

concentrations above the NAAQS occurred during this natural event , which accounted

for 100% of the June/July exceedances from 2000

- 2008

.

TABLE 2

– Portola PM2.5 Concentration Statistics for Primary Monitor

All Data June/July

2000

- 2008 2000

- 2008 2000

- 2007 2008

Mean 12.61 8.05 6.03 23.38

Standard Error 0.36 0.98 0.23 7.44

Median 9 5.95 5 13.1

Mode 6 5 5 #N/A

Standard Deviation 10.70 11.87 2.59 30.68

Sample Variance 114.40 141.00 6.72 941.40

Kurtosis 12.45 48.97 2.96 3.81

Skewness 2.56 6.48 1.31 1.96

Range 112.5 112.5 16 112.5

Minimum 1 1 1 1

Maximum 113.5 113.5 17 113.5

Sum 10897.9 1175.5 778 397.5

Count 864 146 129 17

Largest(1) 1 13.5 113.5 17 113.5

Smallest(1) 1 1 1 1

Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.71 1.94 0.45 15.78

### 6



### FIGURE 2

– Histogram of PM2.5 Concentrations from Portola Primary Monitor

PM2.5 FRM data is available for the monitoring site at Quincy from 1999 through 2008.

Basic statistics for the monitor for this time period are shown in Table 3 . The

accompanying histogram illustrates the historically low levels of PM2.5 at this site, with

almost 98% of all concentrations occurring at or below the 24

- hour NAAQS; 23 % of

those co ncentrations above the NAAQS occurred during this natural event , which

accounted for 100% of the June/July exceedances from 1999

- 2008

.

TABLE 3

– Quincy PM2.5 Concentration Statistics for Primary Monitor

All Data June/July

1999

- 2008 1999

- 2008 1999

- 2007 20 08

Mean 10.54 9.23 6.48 41.64

Standard Error 0.35 1.24 0.23 13.24

Median 7 6 6 16

Mode 6 5 5 16

Standard Deviation 10.88 16.65 3.01 49.54

Sample Variance 118.44 277.21 9.08 2454.08

Kurtosis 49.05 43.21 18.23 0.03

Skewness 5.57 6.35 3.34 1.16

Range 141.2 141.2 25 139.5

Minimum 1 1 1 2.7

Maximum 142.2 142.2 26 142.2

Sum 10171.5 1651.9 1069 582.9

Count 965 179 165 14

Largest(1) 142.2 142.2 26 142.2

Smallest(1) 1 1 1 2.7

Confidence Level(95.0%) 0.69 2.46 0.46 28.60

### 7



### FIGURE 3

– Histogram of PM2. 5 Concentrations from Quincy Primary Monitor

PM2.5 FRM data is available for the monitoring site at Redding from 1998 through

2008. Basic statistics for the monitor for this time period are shown in Table 4 . The

accompanying histogram illustrates the h istorically low levels of PM2.5 at this site, with

97% of all concentrations occurring at or below the 24

- hour NAAQS; 29 % of those

concentrations above the NAAQS occurred during this natural event , which accounted

for 100% of the June/July exceedances from 1999

- 2008

.

TABLE 4

– Redding PM2.5 Concentration Statistics for Primary Monitor

All Data June/July

1998

- 2008 19 99

- 2008 19 99

- 2007 2008

Mean 9.46 11.09 5.98 54.59

Standard Error 0.51 2.52 0.34 19.61

Median 7 6 6 37.2

Mode 6 6 6 2.3

Standard Deviatio n 12.33 24.54 3.15 62.02

Sample Variance 152.02 602.08 9.93 3846.29

Kurtosis 105.82 40.17 5.83 2.72

Skewness 8.21 5.92 1.57 1.59

Range 199.2 199.2 20 197.9

Minimum 1 1 1 2.3

Maximum 200.2 200.2 21 200.2

Sum 5562.1 1053.9 508 545.9

Count 588 95 85 1 0

Largest(1) 200.2 200.2 21 200.2

Smallest(1) 1 1 1 2.3

Confidence Level(95.0%) 1.00 5.00 0.68 44.37

### 8



### FIGURE 4

– Histogram of PM2.5 Concentrations from Redding Primary Monitor

Speciation data is only available for the Portola monitor during this per iod. This data

was collected every six days. Carbon data is not available, but was estimated by

subtracting all other estimated components (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate,

geological, and elemental) from the PM2.5 mass measured by the speciation samp ler.

Figure 5 shows the low levels of carbonaceous aerosols as well as the wood burning

markers of levoglucosan, galactosan, and mannosan, on June 17, prior to the

thunderstorms that spawned the wild fire . These low concentrations w ere not seen

again unti l the end of July, after most of the fires had been contained.

### 9



### FIGURE 5

– Wood Burning Markers (Levoglucosan, Galactosan, Mannosan) at Portola

During the Summer 2008 Wildfires

Wood Burning marker speciation at the Portola monitoring site has been coll ected since

2007. The summer average (June, July, August) of 2007 and 2008, excluding those

days affected by the wildfires, was at the level of detection. Figure 6 shows that

concentrations of the wood burning markers during the wildfires were extremely

elevated.

FIGURE 6

- Wood Burning Markers (Levoglucosan, Galactosan, Mannosan) at Portola

During the Summer 2008 Wildfires Compared to Summer Averages