BOBBY JINDAL 

GOVERNOR 

~tate of 1Loutstana 

DEPARTMENT OF ENviRONMENTAL QUALITY 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

May 30, 2012 

Mr. Guy Donaldson, Chief 

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Air Planning Section, 6PD-L 

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200 

Dallas, TX 75202-2733 

RE: Regional Haze State Implementation Plan 

Smoke Management Program Component 

Dear Mr. Donaldson: 

PEGGY M. HATCH 

SECRETARY 

Enclosed you will find a copy of the Smoke Management Program (SMP) that has been 

developed for the State of Louisiana in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and 

Forestry (LDAF). The staff of the LDAF is currently being trained on the use of the Program 

document, and it will be implemented at the state level beginning on July 1, 2012. 

The development and implementation of the SMP was one component needed for the Regional 

Haze SIP package. I am happy to confirm that this is now completed. 

Should you require additional information regarding this request, please contact 

Ms. Vivian Aucoin, Air Permits Division at (225) 219-3389. 

Enclosure 

mdv 

Post Office Box 4301 • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4301 • Phone 225-219-3953 • Fax 225-219-3971 

www.deq.louisiana.gov 
Agricultural & 

Environmental 

Sciences 

P.O. Box 3596 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 925·3770 

Fax: 925-3760 

Agro-Consumer 

Services 

P.O. Box 3098 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 922·1341 

Fax: 923-4877 

Animal Health 

& Food Safety 

P.O. Box 1951 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 925·3962 

Fax: 925·4103 

Forestry 

P.O. Box 1628 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 925-4500 

Fax: 922·1356 

Management 

& Finance 

P.O. Box 3481 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 922·1255 

Fax: 925·6012 

Soil & Water 

Conservation 

P.O. Box 3554 

Baton Rouge, 

LA 70821 

(225) 922·1269 

Fax: 922·2577 

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & fORESTRY 

MIKE STRAIN DVM 

COMMISSIONER 

May 4, 2012 

Secretary Peggy Hatch 

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality 

602 North Fifth St. 

Baton Rouge, LA. 70802 

Secretary Hatch: 

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry, Office of Forestry personnel has 

received and reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's approved version of the 

Louisiana's Smoke Management Program. Our staff supports the plan and is working to 

facilitate implementation. We will continue to work closely with your staff to meet program 

requirements. It's our goal to assist LADEQ in serving the public while properly monitoring 

environmental quality across the state. 

We appreciate the opportunity to be involved in this process and to serve as one of the 

state agencies providing critical information to the public. I would also like to commend 

your staff for the work and commitment that they have undertaken on this task. We look 

forward to completing the implementation phase and working with you to achieve success 

in carrying out the Louisiana Smoke Management Program. 

· Wade Dubea 

State Forester 

Assistant Commissioner of Forestry 

Post Office Box 631, 5825 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-0631 Telephone: (225) 922·1234 Fax: (225) 922·1253 www.ldaf.ta.gov 
State of Louisiana 

Smoke Management Program 

Effective July 1, 2012
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 2 

Contents 

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Benefits of Prescribed Fire ............................................................................................................................ 5

Air Quality Considerations ............................................................................................................................ 6

Louisiana Smoke Management Program ...................................................................................................... 8

Authorization ................................................................................................................................................ 9

Communication ............................................................................................................................................. 9

Minimizing Air Pollutant Emissions .............................................................................................................10

Smoke Management Components .............................................................................................................11

Smoke Dissipation Category Days ...............................................................................................................13

Air Quality Indexes (LA. Dept. of Environmental Quality) ..........................................................................14

Air Quality Monitoring ................................................................................................................................15

Public Education and Awareness ................................................................................................................15

Compliance .................................................................................................................................................16

Program Evaluation .....................................................................................................................................17

Appendix A : Tools for Predicting Smoke Transport ..................................................................................18

SHRMC ........................................................................................................................................................18

VSmoke .......................................................................................................................................................18

BlueSky ........................................................................................................................................................18

HYSPLIT .......................................................................................................................................................19

ClearSky .......................................................................................................................................................19

Local temperature soundings .....................................................................................................................20

Pilot Weather Balloons (Pibals)...................................................................................................................20

Satellite images/maps, remote sensing ......................................................................................................20

Temporal characterization. .........................................................................................................................21

Spatial Characterization ..............................................................................................................................21
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 3 

Use of Satellite data in air quality management assessments. ..................................................................22

MM5 ............................................................................................................................................................26
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 4 

Introduction 

Natural fires have occurred throughout history and have shaped the landscape across much of the 

United States. Fire, once a common natural occurrence happens much less frequently today and 

is commonly initiated by man for a valued purpose. Prescribed fire in Louisiana is a useful 

management tool for croplands, rangelands, and forest maintenance. In Louisiana, natural 

resource managers burn approximately 650,000 acres a year. Prescribed fires assists with 

agriculture production, maintaining natural forests integrity, improves wildlife habitat, protects 

certain endangered species, and reduces property loss from wildfires. Several governmental 

agencies, such as; forestry, agricultural, environmental, wildlife and natural resources along with 

citizen driven organizations such as The Prescribed Fire Council have worked together to devise 

reasonable, science based guidelines that define the role and use of prescribed burning in a way 

that allows for desirable outcomes as well as a healthy ecosystem. 

States prepare Smoke Management Programs or SMPs to foster better communication between 

agencies, landowners/public and air quality regulators. Better communication and proper 

planning will allow for prescribed fire to be used in a professional, safe and efficient manner 

while minimizing impacts to the public and the environment. 

Acres Burned Annually in LA1

Total Acres Burned by Management Type: 

Forest land (KNF, Ft. Polk, FWS, LDWF, LDAF, 

 Private industrial, private non-industrial): ~ 300,000 acres 

Marsh land: ~ 150,000 

Agricultural (mainly sugar cane): ~ 200,000

 TOTAL: 650,000 acres

 OR

Total Acres Burned by Ownership:

Federal (USFS, Army, FWS): ~ 200,000 acres 

State (LDWF, LDAF, SOF, and State Lands): ~ 130,000 

Private lands: ~ 320,000

 TOTAL: 650,000 acres 

Smoke from burning vegetation produces air pollutants that are regulated by the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the state of Louisiana because of their potential 

 

1 Estimate by Latimore Smith of The Nature conservancy from various sources, November 2007
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 5 

for adverse health affects on the public and the environment. In order to preserve good air 

quality, it is important that (1) prescribed fire burners receive training in order to become 

knowledgeable regarding the emissions they produce and aware of the possible impacts burning 

has on air quality (2) prescribed fire practitioners take steps to reduce both the quantity and 

impact of these emissions on the environment and the public and (3) prescribed fire practitioners 

work in cooperation with state and federal regulatory agencies. Because prescribed burning is a 

necessary practice and has beneficial environmental and ecological results, it is important for 

state and federal air quality agencies to recognize these benefits. The goal of a smoke 

management program is to protect the health and welfare of the public while allowing the use of 

prescribed fire in the maintenance and preservation of healthy ecosystems. 

Benefits of Prescribed Fire 

Fire in the hands of a skilled practitioner can be a very effective natural resource management 

tool. Fire used in this manner is known as “prescribed fire.” Prescribed fire refers to the 

controlled application of fire, under specified weather conditions, utilized to meet management 

objectives. 

Prescribed fire can be beneficial for: 

1. Reduction of excessive vegetative fuels 

2. Forest management 

3. Wildlife enhancement 

4. Threatened and Endangered plants 

1. By safely reducing excessive amounts of natural fuels, i.e., brush, shrubs, and trees, the 

chances of a damaging wildfire are significantly reduced. If there are limited available 

fuels, then large damaging wildfires occurrence will be reduced. In fact, prescribed fire is 

one of the most effective tools utilized in reducing the damage from wildfires. 

2. In forest management, prescribed fire can be used to remove unwanted vegetation and 

logging debris before seedlings are planted. It is also an economical tool used to decrease 

unwanted brush in pine stands. Prescribed fire effectively controls a host of diseasecausing insects and organisms which can damage/destroy coniferous forests. 

3. Many wildlife species depend on and/or benefit from prescribed fire, as identified by 

Louisiana’s Wildlife Action Plan, including many threatened or endangered species. The 

list includes but is not limited to: red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoise, Bachman’s 

sparrow, and Henslow’s sparrow. Other common game species benefiting from prescribed 

fire include: numerous grassland birds, northern bobwhites, Eastern Wild Turkey, 

American woodcock, and white-tailed deer. Prescribed fire encourages the growth of 

native dietary vegetation and assists in the maintenance of proper habitat required for these 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 6 

species. It promotes growth of valuable wildlife food plants such as native grasses, 

legumes, herbaceous plants, vines, and hardwood sprouts. Fire can remove thick 

undergrowth, making travel and feeding routes easier for species such as turkey and deer. 

4. Certain plant species are also dependent on periodic fire to create an ecosystem suitable for 

their growth and reproduction. These include pitcher plants and several species of wild 

orchids, which are listed as Threatened and Endangered species. 

Air Quality Considerations 

The Clean Air Act, which was last amended in 1990, requires EPA to set National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards (NAAQS) for wide-spread pollutants from numerous and diverse sources 

considered harmful to public health and the environment. The Clean Air Act established two 

types of national air quality standards, Primary and Secondary. 

Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of "sensitive" 

populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards set limits to 

protect public welfare, including protection against visibility impairment, damage to animals, 

crops, vegetation, and buildings. 

EPA has set NAAQS for six principal pollutants, which are called "criteria" pollutants. These 

pollutants are: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxide, ozone and particulate matter 

(PM). The burning of wildland vegetation produces emissions of many different chemical 

compounds including the criteria pollutants particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and carbon 

monoxide, in addition to other air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and organic compounds. 

Tests indicate that, on average, 90 percent of smoke particles from wildland and prescribed fires 

are PM10, and 70 percent are PM 2.5 (or PM fine). 2

EPA has focused more recently on “PM fine” 

due to its ability to penetrate deeply into the lungs where the most adverse health effects may 

occur. Biomass burning or prescribed burning may also contribute to local and regional air 

pollutant loading, and interfere with an area's ability to meet state and federal air quality 

standards. 

The Clean Air Act requires periodic review of the science upon which these standards are based. 

Every five years the standards are reviewed and revised based on the most current science and 

health studies. Recently, EPA reviewed and revised both the PM 2.5 standard and the 8-hour 

ozone standard. In both cases, the standards were lowered, making them more stringent. These 

revisions have resulted in greater areas of the country being out of attainment with those 

standards. When an area doesn’t meet the federal standard, then the state must prepare and 

submit a State Implementation Plan or “SIP” to the EPA which outlines the steps the state will 

 

2

 Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires, US EPA, April 23, 1998.
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 7 

take to reduce emissions and bring the area into attainment. These standards are of interest to the 

prescribed fire community because biomass burning is considered a source of air pollution which 

can contribute to ambient air concentrations of these criteria pollutants. 

In addition to the NAAQS, the EPA also indirectly regulates prescribed burning through the 

Clean Air Visibility Rules. These rules were promulgated to address visibility in the country’s 

Federal Class I areas such as International Parks, National Memorial Parks, National Parks and 

Wilderness Areas. States are required to prepare and submit State Implementation Plans (SIPs) 

to address clean air and visibility in these federally protected areas. In the west, wildfires have 

been shown to be significant contributors to impairment of visibility in national parks and 

wildlife areas. Many states have implemented smoke management programs as an integral part 

of clean air strategies for improving haze and most are included in the state implementation 

plans. 

Louisiana’s only Class I Area within its geographic borders is the Breton National Wildlife 

Refuge. (See Figure 1.) Air dispersion modeling has shown that Louisiana may also contribute 

to visibility impairment at Caney Creek Wilderness Area in Arkansas. Louisiana has already 

submitted a State Implementation Plan to address these regional haze and visibility issues. The 

plan includes emission controls on certain older operating equipment at major stationary sources. 

In addition to the emission control strategy, this Smoke Management Program is included as a 

part of that SIP. 

Figure 1. Class I Breton Wilderness Area Image from Google Earth. 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 8 

On March 22, 2007, EPA published its proposed Exceptional Events Rule. This rule allows 

certain air monitoring data which has been influenced by an exceptional event to be flagged and 

excluded from monitoring data used to determine attainment with a federal NAAQS. 

Exceptional event is defined as an event that (1) affects air quality; (2) is not reasonably 

controllable or preventable; (3) is an event caused by human activity that is unlikely to recur at a 

particular location or a natural event; and (4) is determined by EPA through the process 

established in these regulations to be an exceptional event. 3

 Examples of exceptional events are 

chemical spills and/or accidents, structural fires, transported pollution, terrorist attacks, natural 

events including volcanic and seismic activity, high wind, wildfires and wildland fires, etc. 

Prescribed fires may also be determined to be exceptional events providing certain criteria are 

met. However, in order for a state to request and receive permission to exclude impacted data, 

the state must certify that it has adopted and has implemented a Smoke Management Program as 

described in the 1998 Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires, issued on 

May 15, 1998. 

Louisiana Smoke Management Program 

This Smoke Management Program (SMP) establishes a basic framework of procedures and 

requirements for managing smoke from fires for resource benefits. The Department of 

Agriculture and Forestry administers the SMP, partnering with the Louisiana Department of 

Environmental Quality, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Department of 

Wildlife and Fisheries, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Forest Service, 

The Nature Conservancy and prescribed burners statewide. The purpose of the SMP is to balance 

the use of prescribed fire thus assuring that fire remains a viable tool to achieve land 

management objectives while protecting Louisiana’s air quality. 

A burn falls under this SMP if the PM10 emissions are expected to be greater than or equal 

to one ton per day or if the pile volume per day is greater than or equal to 5,000 cubic-foot. 

The one ton of PM10 threshold is meant to be roughly equivalent to current permitting thresholds 

for stationary sources. Impacts to air quality are expected to be minimal at an emission rate of 

less than one ton of PM10 per day. 

The basic framework of a SMP consists of six elements that must be addressed: authorization, 

minimizing air pollutant emissions, smoke management components, air quality monitoring, 

public education and awareness, surveillance and enforcement, and program evaluation. These 

required elements can be found in EPA’s Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed 

Fires. Louisiana’s SMP addresses each of these elements as described below. 

 

3

Fed. Reg. Vol. 72, No. 55/Thursday, March 22, 2007, p. 13563.
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 9 

Authorization 

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry coordinates prescribed fire activities for 

the State of Louisiana. LDAF Dispatch Centers will receive notifications via phone or fax on the 

day of the burn. Burn managers will be required to notify the appropriate LDAF Dispatch 

Center on the morning of the prescribed fire by calling (see attachment; LDAF State Forestry 

Office map) 

Each burn manager should prepare a written burn plan prior to the prescribed fire. The 

Burn Plan will contain the following information to provide to the LDAF Dispatch 

Centers: 

1. Person in charge of the prescribed fire and contact information; 

2. Location of the prescribed fire (section, township, range or GPS reading and 

parish); 

3. Total acres to be burned; 

4. Purpose of the prescribed fire (hazard fuel reduction, wildlife habitat, etc.); 

5. Planned ignition time and duration of prescribed fire. 

A sample of an acceptable “prescribed burn plan” can be viewed and downloaded at 

www.ldaf.state.la.us/portal/Offices/Forestry/ForestProtection. Individuals without 

internet access can contact a Dispatch Center to receive a “hard copy” of the burn plan. 

On the morning of the actual prescribed fire, the prescribed fire manager will notify the 

appropriate LDAF Dispatch Center and reference the burn plan for “acceptance 

consideration”. If “no objections” are warranted, the Dispatch Center will provide a “PB 

Authorization Number” which shall then be recorded on the written prescribed burn plan 

by the manager. This authorization number shall also be recorded, for record, on the 

LDAF Daily Prescribed Fire log sheet. At that time, the fire manager may proceed with 

the prescribed fire as conditions allow. 

The PB Authorization Number shall only be valid for that calendar day of issuance. Any 

ignitions of fuels, occurring on a different calendar date or on a site other than listed in 

the prescribed burn plan, shall require a separate PB Authorization Number. 

Communication 

Communication with local fire authorities should be practiced. Burn Managers should 

notify their local Fire Districts of their intent and locations so they will be aware that a 

controlled burn will occur in their response area. 

Dispatch Centers will review daily prescribed fire requests and promptly make a “no 

objection/no burn” decision. This decision will be based on the existing air quality and 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 10

the ability of the airshed to disperse emissions for that particular day. For fires lasting 

longer than one day, forecasted meteorological conditions will be considered before a 

determination is made. 

All partnering agencies and associates will promote the “Certified Prescribed Burn 

Manager program” defined under Louisiana RS 3:17. 

Fire managers shall follow the authorized burn plan or maintain records to adequately 

justify why it was necessary to deviate from the authorized plan. 

Minimizing Air Pollutant Emissions 

The prescribed burn plan should document steps to be taken before, during and after the 

burn to reduce smoke impacts. Where applicable, burn managers shall use one or more of 

the following approaches: 

Reduce the size of the burn to achieve allowed emission levels.

Reduce the fuel loading in the area to be burned by mechanical means or by using 

frequent, low-intensity burns to gradually reduce fuels. 

Reduce the amount of fuel consumed by the fire by burning when fuel moistures 

for larger fuels and duff moistures are high. 

Rapid and complete mop-up after the burn or mop-up of certain fuels. 

Reference “Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire and Wildland Fire” by 

National Wildfire Coordinating Group Fire Use Working Team, publication 

NFES 1279. 

Wildland owners/managers are encouraged to consider alternative methods, as discussed 

in the Interim air Quality Policy (see section V.A.1. Collaboration Among Land and Air 

Quality Managers, Land and Vegetation Management, Alternative Treatments). 

Wildland owners/managers may have an array of tools, including fire, which can be used 

to accomplish land use plans, depending on the resource benefits to be achieved. 

Alternatives to consider may involve one or a combination of treatments, including 

utilization and mechanical treatments, chemical treatments, and fire treatments. When 

fire is the chosen management tool, a combination of treatment methods may be the best 

approach to achieving the desired resource benefits with minimum air quality impacts.

While these optional treatment types should be considered, the exclusion of fire is not 

without economical consequences. Among these are increased costs, degradation of fire 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 11

dependent ecosystems (coniferous forests and gulf costal plains) and an increased threat 

of damages to communities and critical infrastructure resulting from wildfires. 

To assist burners in the determination of emissions, the table below translates one ton of PM10

into acreages of different vegetation types and pile volumes. The relationship between PM10

emissions and pile volume was developed using Hardy’s information4

. The threshold of 5,000 

cubic feet of pile volume is roughly equivalent to one ton of PM10 emitted. 

Vegetation Type One Ton PM10 

Field Crops (sugarcane, wheat, etc.) 65 Acres

Shrub land 34 Acres

Forest land 23 Acres

Grass land 100 Acres

Piled vegetative material (logging slash) 5000 Cubic Feet

Smoke Management Components 

Every effort should be made to keep smoke away from sensitive areas. Examples of 

sensitive areas include: airports, highways, communities, Class I areas recreation areas, 

schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and industry (especially facilities that emit sulfur 

dioxide – smelters, coal fired power plants, and factories with large boilers). Follow these 

five steps to identify smoke- sensitive targets: 

1. Delineate on a map the prescribed fire’s location and all potential smoke sensitive 

targets. 

2. Determine the wind direction that will have the least impact on smoke sensitive 

targets. 

3. Draw a line representing the centerline of the path of the smoke plume using the 

wind direction chosen in the previous step. 

4. Determine the distance from the edge of the prescribed fire to the nearest smokesensitive target. 

5. To allow for horizontal dispersion of the smoke, as well as shifts in wind 

direction, draw two other lines from the burn at an angle of 30 degrees from the 

centerline(s). If a prescribed fire’s area is less than Hardy’s One Ton PM10

equivalent then represent the area as a spot, draw as in Figure A. If larger, draw as 

shown in Figure B. 

 

4

 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 12

Figures A and B. Examples of how to estimate smoke plume dispersion for prescribed 

fire planning. 

Planning and public notification are recommended when igniting large areas in a short 

amount of time, such as is done with aerial ignition. The heat produced from a prescribed 

fire may allow the smoke to penetrate above the mixing height where dispersion of the 

smoke is minimal. Smoke from these prescribed fires may travel long distances before 

descending to the ground. Therefore, it is important to monitor the smoke column 

downwind to determine if an impact has developed. 

One goal of safely conducting a prescribed fire in Louisiana is to perform the burn when 

atmospheric conditions will disperse the smoke so that people and Class I areas are not 

adversely effected. The smoke management plan uses two pieces of information to 

determine how many tons of fuels can be consumed within an air shed: 

1. Downwind distance to the nearest smoke-sensitive target 

2. Daily Fire Weather “Category Day.” 

The National Weather Service (NWS) measures the transport wind speed and mixing 

height daily by 8:00 a.m. and an estimate is made for the afternoon. The predicted 

afternoon mixing height and transport wind speed is used by the NWS to calculate the 

“Category Day (see Table 2 for Category Day Burning guidelines). 

The Category Day will assist LDAF in determining wither to issue PB Authorization 

Numbers or to suspend the “no objection” to burning until more favorable atmospheric 

conditions occur. Table 3 lists the category day for various combinations of mixing 

height and transport wind speed. The National Weather Service issues an afternoon 

forecast predicting conditions for the following day. Using the afternoon forecast, the 

predicted category day for the following day is for planning purposes only. The category 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 13

day utilized by the LDAF Dispatch Centers will remain in effect until a new forecast is 

received the following morning. 

The forecasts are transmitted on the Internet by the National Weather Service (NWS) 

from offices in Shreveport, Lake Charles, New Orleans and Jackson, MS. This 

information is generally available by 9:00 a.m. each day. The National Weather Service 

will also broadcast the Category Day on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) weather radio channel. The Internet addresses are: 

Lake Charles area: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/LCH/FWFLCH

New Orleans/Baton Rouge area: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/LIX/FWFLIX

Shreveport area: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/SHV/FWFSHV

Jackson, MS area: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/JAN/FWFJAN

Smoke Dissipation Category Days 

“Mixing Height” or “Mixing Depth” (feet or meters) signifies the height above the 

surface throughout which a pollutant such as smoke can be dispersed. During times of 

surface temperature inversions (typically nighttime with clear skies), the mixing height 

may fall below the minimum level and smoke dispersion will be minimal. 

“Transport Wind” signifies the average wind speed (mph or m/s) throughout the depth of 

the mixed layer. 

“Ventilation Rate” (VR) equals the product of the two (feet or m*m/s) and represents the 

ability of the boundary layer to disperse smoke. When VR values are low, there is 

minimal mixing potential and surface air quality suffers. When VR values are 

consistently low (day and night), it is possible for immediate and downwind areas to be 

negatively impacted by smoke. 

Ventilation Rate (m*m /s) = Mixing Height (m) x Transport Wind (m/s) 

Based on these variables, a “Category Day” system has been developed relating 

ventilation rate to smoke dispersal. A set of burning guidelines based on VR and 

Category Day has been developed and is shown below: 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 14

CATEGORY

DAY

VENTILATION

RATE 

(Mixing Height (m) x 

Transport Wind (m/s))

BURNING

GUIDELINES

I < 2,000 No Burning.

II 2,000 - 4,000

No burning until 11:00 am and not before surface 

inversion has lifted. Fire should be substantially burned 

out by 4:00 pm.

III 4,000 - 8,000 Daytime burning only after inversion has lifted.

IV 8,000 - 16,000 Burning anytime. Night burns use backing fires with 

surface wind speeds greater than 4 mph.

V > 16,000 "Unstable" and windy. Excellent smoke dispersal. Burn 

with caution.

Burn managers should follow the “Burning Guidelines” timeframes, based on the NWS Category 

Day of the burn, to be in compliance with state voluntary guidelines and to minimize negative 

impacts from smoke. 

Air Quality Indexes (LA. Dept. of Environmental Quality) 

Occasionally, during periods of relatively stagnant air, the Environmental Protection 

Agency and/or the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will forecast or issue 

an Ozone Action Day. This advisory requires a smoke management Category Day 1 be 

issued. When an Ozone Action Day is forecasted, burn managers are asked not to ignite 

any new fires and to complete any fires burning at the time the Ozone Action Day is 

declared. LDAF Dispatch Centers will not issue PB Authorization Numbers on identified 

Ozone Action Days. 

 

LDAF Dispatch Centers will also monitor the Air Quality Index map, found on the 

AirNow website, on a daily basis for the determination of issuance of PB Authorization 

numbers. This site, administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency may be 

found at www.airnow.gov. The site maintains 6 ratings concerning Ozone and PM2.5 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 15

particle ratings ranging from “Good” to “Hazardous.” LDAF may only issue PB 

Authorization numbers if the current reading for area of concern is; (a) Good or (b) 

Moderate. All other AQI ratings will default to a “no issuance” of PB Authorization 

number. 

Air Quality Monitoring 

The prescribed fire burn plan should include some type of monitoring of the smoke from 

the prescribed fire. The extent of the monitoring should match the size and expected 

duration of the fire. For small, or short duration fires (such as those in grass or leaf litter), 

visual monitoring of the directions of the smoke plume and monitoring nuisance 

complaints by the public may be sufficient. Other monitoring techniques include posting 

personnel on vulnerable roadways to look for visibility impairment and to initiate safety 

measures for motorists; posting personnel at other smoke sensitive areas to look for 

smoke intrusions; using aircraft to track the progress of smoke plumes; and the continued 

tracking of meteorological conditions during the fire. 

For prescribed fires in fuels with longer duration burning (such as timber litter or slash), 

and which are expected to last more than one day, the burn manager might consider 

locating real-time particulate matter (PM) monitors at smoke- sensitive areas to facilitate 

timely response to smoke problems. 

Public Education and Awareness 

In 1993 the Louisiana Legislature passed Act 589 authorizing the Louisiana Department 

of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) to implement and administer the Louisiana Certified 

Prescribed Burner program. 

Prior to this law anyone conducting a prescribed burn was, based on state law, involved 

in a “inherently hazardous activity” and as such if any damage could be linked to the burn 

the burner was automatically at fault and liable for said damages. Act 589 identifies and 

defines a Certified Prescribed Burner and instructs LDAF to conduct the needed training 

for burners to meet the standards for identification as a Certified Prescribed Burner. The 

Act further stipulates that Certified Prescribed Burners are held to the same standards of 

proof of negligence in court as any other professional. 

In order to meet the standards for identification as a Certified Prescribed Burner an 

individual must: 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 16

1. Provide documentation to having received either formal or “on the job” 

training in prescribed burning. 

2. Conducted five burns as the supervising professional. 

3. Burn with a written prescribed burning plan. 

4. Adhere to all Louisiana Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines and 

Voluntary Best Management Practice Guidelines. 

5. Meet the Louisiana Notification of Burn directives. 

6. Attend a one day Certified Prescribed Burner Course and successfully pass all 

exams with a score of 70% or higher. 

A Certified Prescribed Burner course is taught by the LSU Cooperative Extension 

Service. Generally the courses are offered at the LSU School of Renewable Natural 

Resources at Baton Rouge and the LA. Tech School of Forestry at Ruston. LDAF 

administers the final written exam, necessary to obtain Prescribed Burner certification 

status. 

Compliance 

The prescribed burn manager ensures that the burn is conducted in accordance with the 

prescribed fire plan. LDEQ and LDAF will enforce national and Louisiana air quality 

regulations and laws. Smoke complaints will be investigated in accordance with department 

policies and procedures. Memorandums of understanding will be used when necessary to 

specify the responsibilities of each State/Federal agency in implementing the SMP. 

The Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) will work closely with the Department 

of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to monitor air quality conditions especially with regard to 

air quality monitoring arising from fires.. LDEQ continues to post to both AirNow (EPA) and 

LDEQ PM data and other smoke information on the LDEQ webpage, including: air quality 

alerts for sensitive groups and deployment of the Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratory when 

appropriate. LDEQ has a sizeable continuous PM monitoring network in place. 

LDAF and LDEQ will also coordinate with the US Fish and Wildlife Services Air Quality 

group. This agency operates and contracts out management of the southeast Louisiana 

Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) monitoring site near 

Slidell. 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 17

Program Evaluation 

The LDAF and LDEQ will annually: 

1. Collect and review information on acres burned by prescribed fire and wildfire. 

2. Review the reference, continuous, and IMPROVE monitoring station data 

maintained by LDEQ. 

3. Use information from reports of nuisance complaints or significant smoke 

intrusions to measure the effectiveness of the SMP. 

4. Provide recommendations to the Louisiana Prescribed Fire Council concerning 

the SMP. 

The SMP will be re-evaluated for effectiveness beginning in 2015 and every 5 years 

following. LDAF will record any nuisance complaints concerning smoke intrusions. 

Information gathered will be reviewed by: LDAF, LDEQ and the LA. Prescribed Fire 

Council to determine if changes to operational procedures are warranted or if adjustments 

to the SMP are required. 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 18

Appendix A : Tools for Predicting Smoke Transport 

SHRMC 

One tool that is available for burn managers was developed by the Southern High Resolution 

Modeling Consortium. This consortium collaborates with other scientists, local, state, and 

federal air quality regulators, and other interested parties as part of a national framework of 

regional interagency modeling consortia. 

This simple smoke screening tool can provide burn managers with information regarding 

expected areas of smoke impact from their operations: 

http://shrmc.ggy.uga.edu/maps/screen.html

VSmoke

The VSmoke Model is a meteorologically oriented dispersion model used to predict the smoke 

and dry weather visibility impact of a single prescribed fire at several downwind locations. The 

model allows the user to control what percentage of smoke is dispersed at the ground level and 

how the remaining smoke plume will rise to its maximum height into the atmosphere at 31 fixed 

distances. VSMOKE can be used either on its own or as part of a system of prescribed fire 

management programming tools. 

VSmoke consists of six different computational components: (1) modeling of pollutant 

constituents, heat emissions, and vertical and horizontal distribution of smoke; (2) a plume rise 

model; (3) a plume atmospheric dispersion model to estimate smoke concentrations at specified 

distances downwind from the fire; (4) a crossplume sightline characteristics model that estimates 

the visibility and contrast ratio for the plume at specific downwind distances; (5) a dispersion 

rate model; and (6) a statistical model that estimates a Low Visibility Occurrence Risk Index 

(LVORI). 

VSmoke provides conservative estimates and can be used as a screening system to determine the 

potential for smoke-related hazards. Once those potential hazards are identified with this model, 

other models, such as INPUFF or PLUVUE, can be used to more completely determine the 

nature and impacts of the hazard (Lavdas, 1996). 

BlueSky

The BlueSky Smoke Modeling Framework is a web-based system that provides real-time smoke 

concentration predictions. The framework is designed to determine cumulative impacts from 

forest, agricultural and range fires using emissions, and meteorology and dispersion models. 

BlueSky also uses fire information and predictions developed from a weather forecast model to 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 19

estimate forecasts of ground concentrations of smoke. BlueSky is an open source modeling 

platform - there are various models that can be used in each step in determining impacts. 

Currently, most BlueSky implementations use the Fuelbed Characteristic Classification System 

(FCCS) fuel loading map and Emissions Production Model, CALPUFF, and HYSPLIT 

(discussed below). (http://www.airfire.org/projects/bluesky/bluesky-modeling-framework) 

HYSPLIT 

The HYSPLIT (HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model is the newest 

version of a complete system. It can be used for tasks as simple as computing simple air parcel 

trajectories, or as complex as dispersion and deposition simulations. The model can be run 

interactively on the Web through the READY system on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) website, or the executable code and meteorological data can be 

downloaded to a Windows PC. The model can simulate the transport of smoke utilizing the 

archived meteorological data on the READY web site. Through this site, the model is most 

appropriate for long range transport of smoke due to the 40 km horizontal grid spacing of the 

archived meteorology. For more information go to 

http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/hysplit4.html

The HYSPLIT model can be used retrospectively: (1) to help determine the forward path of 

smoke plumes from past known fires, and (2) to investigate whether a monitored PM 

concentration may have been affected by known fire(s) in another area. While retrospective 

analysis obviously has limited or no direct use in smoke management, there may be an indirect 

benefit in that understanding the transport of smoke during past fire events may improve 

predictions of where smoke will travel in future fires. Satellite photographs (and satellite 

measurements of aerosol optical depth) are another way to look at past smoke transport. 

However, satellite photographs do not automatically tell whether smoke was present at the 

surface at points below what appears to be the smoke trajectory, because satellite photographs 

indicate all the smoke in a vertical column of air. If a smoke plume rises quickly past the mixed 

layer height (or boundary layer) height, a satellite photograph may indicate the path of a smoke 

plume that is not affecting concentrations at the surface. However, if HYSPLIT modeling of 

trajectories within the mixed layer match the trajectory suggested by the satellite photograph, or 

if it is known that the smoke stayed low to the ground, it is more likely that the satellite 

photograph indicates the presence of smoke at ground level. 

HYSPLIT can also be used prospectively to generate forward trajectories to predict the path of 

an ongoing fire or a contemplated future fire. The READY website can be used to do these 

predictive trajectories, but an additional user registration step will need to be completed. 

ClearSky

ClearSky (http://www.clearsky.wsu.edu/) is a plume dispersion model housed at Washington 

State University that uses meteorological forecasts and emissions estimates to determine surface 

level smoke concentrations and dispersion. ClearSky uses a web-based application to allow burn 

managers input data specific to the area of concern to create realistic simulations. This data is 

combined with meteorological forecasts developed from the Mesoscale Modeling Group MM5 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 20

(discussed below) and CALPUFF dispersion calculations to generate dispersion scenarios. 

Hourly PM2.5 predictions at specific receptor locations (i.e., these locations have the necessary 

instrumentation to measure PM2.5) are also provided to the burn manager. This tool allows local 

burn managers to generate multiple field-burning scenarios and view animations of the 

simulation results to help shape their burn decisions. 

Local temperature soundings 

Localized atmospheric conditions including current weather and upper air data are available 

through the National Weather Service (NWS) and associated federal agencies. Local surface data 

may be easily obtained via the NWS website at www.weather.gov. These surface data are 

typically collected at Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) or Automated Weather 

Observation Systems (AWOS) sites, many of which are located at airports. Upper air data, 

including temperature, dew point, and winds are able to be measured through multiple different 

methods including Radiosondes, Rawinsondes, Radio Acoustic Sounding Systems (RASS), 

microwave radiometers, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), and aircraft measurements. 

Radiosondes and Rawinsondes are more widely used worldwide, in concert, and have a 

predictable schedule with more easily accessible data. Radiosondes or Rawinsondes (which 

include wind data) are balloon-borne sensors released by NWS from 92 sites in North America 

and select Pacific Islands at 0000 and 1200 UTC (coordinated universal time) daily. They collect 

temperature and dew point, and often wind data as well, as they ascend through the atmosphere. 

The data are available at: http://rap.ucar.edu/weather/upper/ in the form of Skew-T diagrams 

which can be used to determine mixing heights and, if a rawinsonde is used, winds at given 

pressure level. 

Pilot Weather Balloons (Pibals) 

Pibals allow observers on the ground to project where an object or smoke plume will likely travel 

in the horizontal as it ascends vertically through the atmosphere. Pibals are usually a natural or 

synthetic rubber balloon filled with either Hydrogen or Helium. They come in varying 'weights' 

which correspond to varying maximum ascent altitudes. They are limited in use today due to the 

growing availability of other vertical profiling instrumentation, but are still used occasionally in 

rural areas where more modern vertical profilers or model estimates are unavailable. The use of a 

Pibal is typically accompanied by the use of a theodolite, which allows the ground observer to 

mechanically keep track of the pibal height and bearing during its ascent. 

Satellite images/maps, remote sensing 

(e.g. MODIS, GOES) - An extensive array of satellite-based systems (see table) with the 

capability of covering broad spatial areas and measuring atmospheric column total species has 

been established by United States and European Satellite programs lead by the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and NOAA in the United States and the 

European Space Agency (ESA). A suite of satellites including Aqua, Aura, CALIPSO, OCO, 

Glory, as well as NOAA-17, NOAA-18 and NPOESS, have either been launched since about the 

year 2000 or have other near-term proposed launch dates. Collectively, the remote sensing 

techniques can measure spatial distributions, as well as columns and/or profiles of aerosols 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 21

(AOD - Aerosol Optical Depth), other pollutants, and atmospheric parameters such as 

temperature and H2O (water). Most of these satellites have a near-polar orbit allowing for two 

passes per day over a given location. When taken together, a group of five satellites (Aqua, Aura, 

CALIPSO, OCO, as well as CloudSat and PARASOL - coined the A-Train) fly in a formation 

that crosses the equator a few minutes apart at around 1:30 local time to give a comprehensive 

picture of atmospheric conditions. On the other hand, the NOAA Geostationary Operational 

Environmental Satellites (GOES) satellites provide continuous monitoring, over portions of the 

globe, by circling the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit that allows them to hover continuously 

over one position on the surface. The geosynchronous plane is about 22,300 miles above the 

earth, high enough to allow the satellites a full-disc view of the earth. Because they stay above a 

fixed spot on the surface, they provide continuous measurements for that area of the earth so as 

to monitor pollutant emissions and track their movements. 

Temporal characterization. 

The polar orbiting tracks provide wide spatial coverage of reasonable horizontal (10-50 km) 

resolution, but deliver only twice daily snapshots of a pollutant species. Consequently, temporal 

patterns of pollutants as well as a time-integrated measure of pollutant concentrations cannot be 

delineated explicitly through these satellite measurements alone. However, geostationary satellite 

platforms, such as the GOES for fire products (imagery and AOD), provide near continuous 

coverage. There also are proposed campaigns within NASA and across partnership Federal 

agencies to deploy geostationary platforms with measurement capabilities for aerosols and trace 

gases to enhance space-based characterization of tropospheric air quality. 

Spatial Characterization 

Polar orbiting satellites typically provide horizontal spatial resolution between 10 and 100km, 

depending on the angle of a particular swath segment. Spatial resolution less than 10km is 

possible with geostationary platforms. With few exceptions, satellite data typically represents a 

total atmospheric column estimate. However, for aerosols and certain important trace gases (e.g., 

NO2, SO2, HCHO (formaldehyde)), the majority of mass resides in the boundary layer of the 

lower troposphere, enabling associations linking column data to surface concentrations or 

emissions fields. For example, reasonable correlations, especially in the Eastern United States, 

have been developed between concentrations from ground level PM2.5 stations and aerosol 

optical depths (AOD) from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 

aboard the Aqua and Terra satellites. Correlations between AOD and surface aerosols generally 

are better in the Eastern United States, relative to the West, due to excessive surface light 

scattering from relatively barren land surfaces. The Infusing Satellite Data into Environmental 

Applications (IDEA, http://idea.ssec.wisc.edu/) Internet site provides daily displays and 

interpretations of MODIS and surface air quality data. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared 

Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite provides some ability to resolve aerosol 

vertical gradients. 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 22

Use of Satellite data in air quality management assessments. 

Satellite data, particularly fire and smoke plume observations and GOES meteorological data, 

support various air quality analysis efforts. Satellite products complement existing observational 

platforms and support the air quality assessment process through: 

direct observational evidence of regional and long range intercontinental transport 

direct evidence of the occurrence of biomass burning 

emission inventory improvements through inverse modeling 

evaluation of Air Quality Models 

tracking emissions trends (accountability) 

complementing surface networks through filling of spatial gaps 

As air quality assessments, including those related to the transport and dispersion of pollutant 

emissions from wildland and prescribed fires, evolve toward embracing more pollutant 

categories, an attendant need to characterize a variety of spatial (and temporal) scales places 

demands on developing more compositionally rich characterizations of air pollutants. Satellite 

technologies combined with Federal agency partnerships, such as NASA and NOAA, are 

assisting the air quality community by providing data that covers broad spatial regimes in areas 

lacking ground based monitors and/or detailed data for calculating fire-related emissions. 

NASA's Aura satellite (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aura/spacecraft/index.html) 

mission, launched in 2004, deploys sensors theoretically capable of measuring aerosols, all 

criteria gases and many other pollutants - a multiple pollutant space-based complement to the 

NCore multiple pollutant ground based network and intensive field campaigns. NASA's Orbiting 

Carbon Observatory (OCO), planned to be launched in 2013, will be dedicated to tracking 

carbon dioxide levels which currently are captured on the Aqua based Atmospheric Infrared 

Sounder (AIRS) instrument. The Aqua, Terra, and Aura satellites and OCO are all part of 

NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS). When used in combination with air quality models, 

satellite data can be used as an observation driven top-down check and modification through 

inverse modeling of emission inventories. Satellite data for CO, NO2, and HCHO, as an 

indicator for biogenic isoprene, have been used for improving emission inventories. As longer 

term records are developed, satellite imagery offers another means of checking progress of major 

emission strategy plans. 

CALIPSO builds on the ongoing success of MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra (EOS 

AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites which has provided total aerosol column optical depths 

(AOD) for use in: 

Supporting development of wildfire and prescribed burning emission inventories (the 

2005 NEI will include emissions from fires utilizing MODIS), 

Evaluating ability of air quality models such as CMAQ to characterize total column 

aerosol loadings, and 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 23

Complimenting ground based PM2.5 monitors by filling in spatial gaps and adding 

intelligence to conceptualize our understanding of aerosol episodes (see 

http://idea.ssec.wisc.edu/).

More specifically with regard to wildland and prescribed fires, GOES WF_ABBA (Wildfire 

Automated Biomass Burning Algorithm), and other satellite measurements and products can be 

especially useful. Emission estimates obtained through modeling of biomass burning using 

satellite-derived vegetative fuel loadings, fuel moisture, and fire sizes can be supported across 

the United States. For example, fuel loading can be developed from MODIS data including land 

cover type, vegetation continuous field and monthly leaf-area index. The weekly fuel moisture 

category can be retrieved from (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data for 

the determination of fuel combustion efficiency and emission factor. The burned area can be 

simulated from GOES by identifying burned areas in individual "fire pixels". This is critical 

input to calculation of the diurnal, seasonal, and interannual biomass burning emissions. The 

burned areas can also be used to exhibit diurnal variability with a temporal scale of half hours; 

burned areas from detections of GOES active fires can be at near real time and data. 
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 24

Satellite-based Air Quality Observing Systems1

Instrument Satellite 

Platform3

Lead 

Federal 

Agency

Initiated Measurement 

Parameters

Orbit & 

Horizontal 

Resolution

Location of 

Information 

and/or Data

OLS 

(Operational 

Linescan 

System)

DMSP 

satellites DOD 1962? Identify fires and smoke plumes

Polar 

Imagery 

only

http://www.af.mil/

factsheets/factshe

et.asp?fsID=94

BUV

(Backscatter 

Ultraviolet 

Spectrometer)

Nimbus 4 NASA 1970-

1980 O3, CO2, SO2

Sun 

synchronou

s

http://nssdc.gsfc.n

asa.gov/database/

MasterCatalog?sc=

1970-025A

SBUV

(Solar 

Backscatter 

Ultraviolet 

Spectrometer)

Nimbus 7 NASA 1978-

1993 O3, SO2 Polar

http://jwocky.gsfc.

nasa.gov/n7toms/

nimbus7tech.html

TOMS

(Total Ozone 

Mapping 

Spectrometer)

Nimbus 7 

Meteor 3 

EarthProbe

NASA

1978-

1993

1991-

1994

1996

O3, SO2, Aerosols Polar 

~100km

http://toms.gsfc.n

asa.gov/fltmodel/s

pacecr.html

LIMS 

(Limb 

Infrared 

Monitor of the 

Stratosphere

Nimbus 7 NASA 1978-

1979 O3, HNO3, NO2, Polar

http://lims.gatsinc.com/about_lim

s.html

ATMOS

(Atmospheric 

Trace 

Molecule 

Spectroscopy)

Spacelab 

3 ATLAS 

-- 1,2,3

NASA

1985, 

1992, 

1993, 

1994

O3, CFCl3, 

CF2Cl2, ClONO2, 

HCl, HF, CO, CH4, 

HCN, HNO3, NO,

NO2, N2O, N2O5, 

Aerosols

http://remus.jpl.n

asa.gov/atmos/sl3.

html

CLAES

(Cryogenic 

Limb Array 

Etalon 

Spectrometer)

UARS NASA 1991-

1993

O3, CFCl3, CF2Cl2 

ClONO2, CH4, 

HNO3, NO, NO2, 

N2O, N2O5, 

Aerosols

http://umpgal.gsfc

.nasa.gov/

HALOE

(Halogen 

Occultation 

Experiment)

UARS NASA 1991-

2005

O3, HCl, HF, CH4, 

NO, NO2, Aerosols

http://umpgal.gsfc

.nasa.gov/
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 25

1. Non-U.S. satellite systems are not included in table at this time. 

2. As of 3/15/06 the operational satellite platforms may need to include NOAA-18. 

3. CALIPSO -- Cloud-Aerosol Lidar & Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations 

 DMSP: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 

 EOS: Earth Observing System 

 GOES: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites 

 NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 NPOESS: National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System 

 OCO: Orbiting Carbon Observatory 

 UARS: Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite 

ISAMS 

(Improved 

Stratospheric 

and 

Mesospheric 

Sounder)

UARS NASA 1991-

1992

O3, CO, CH4, 

NO2, N2O, N2O5, 

Aerosols

http://umpgal.gsfc

.nasa.gov/

MLS

(Microwave 

Limb 

Sounder)

UARS NASA 1991-

1999

O3, ClO, CH3CN, 

HNO3, SO2

http://umpgal.gsfc

.nasa.gov/

GOES Imager 

(Geostationar

y Operational 

Environmenta

l Satellites)

GOES-10 

GOES-12 NOAA 1994

Fire products for 

WF_ABBA 

(imagery) and 

GASP (aerosol 

optical depth)

Geostationa

ry

http://www.nesdis

.noaa.gov/

GOES 

Sounder

(Geostationar

y Operational 

Environmenta

l Satellites)

GOES-10 

GOES-12 NOAA 1994 Total column O3 Geostationary

http://cimss.ssec.

wisc.edu/goes/goe

smain.html#sndrin

fo

AVHRR 

(Advanced 

Very High 

Resolution 

Radiometer)

NOAA15 

NOAA16 

NOAA172

NOAA 1998

Aerosol optical 

depth, particle size 

information and 

vegetation/drought 

index products 

related to air quality 

through fires

Polar 

4km

http://noaasis.noa

a.gov/NOAASIS/ml

/avhrr.html

SBUV/2 

(Solar 

Backscattered 

Ultraviolet 

Radiometer 

Model 2)

NOAA16 

NOAA172

NOAA 2000

Total and profile 

O3 from surface to 

top of atmosphere 

in ~5 km thick 

Umkehr layers

Polar

http://www2.ncdc.

noaa.gov/docs/po

dug/html/c4/sec4-

4.htm
Louisiana Smoke Management Program Page 26

MM5

The Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington Mesoscale Model 

produces high resolution meteorological forecast for the Pacific Northwest twice a day 

(http://www.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/). The MM5 uses an outer grid of 36 km horizontal 

resolution and a nested grid of 12 km resolution that covers Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. 

These forecasts provide additional information to smoke management coordinators when 

deciding whether meteorological conditions are adequate for conducting a burn. 

Monitoring equipment and data management systems - For response oriented fire and smoke 

monitoring, air quality concerns are most closely linked to (PM concentrations. In order to 

quantify the amount of PM in a fire impacted area, several PM monitoring methods are available. 

These methods are ideal because of the portability of the instrument and their near-real time 

measurement capabilities. 

The more widely used instrument for smoke monitoring is the Met One EBAM. It can give a 

concentration of PM in as quickly as 15 minute intervals. The EBAM detects PM by determining 

the attenuation of beta radiation of the collected ambient PM on a glass fiber filter tape to 

determine ambient PM concentrations. EBAMs use the same beta attenuation method as one of 

the current Federal Equivalent Method instruments for both PM10 and PM2.5. Therefore, it is 

fairly correlated to an FEM measurement over longer averaging periods (such as an hour 

averaging period). The EBAM is equipped to collect meteorological data (temperature, relative 

humidity, wind speed and direction) and also can run on battery power. The unit is capable of 

disseminating data (including associated met data if available) via AIRSIS satellite modems. The 

existing infrastructure established with AIRSIS just for the EBAM allows for easy web access to 

EBAM data. 

The other instrument that can be deployed in a smoke monitoring situation is a nephelometer. 

Nephelometers use light scattering properties of passing ambient PM to determine a backscatter 

coefficient that may be translated into a PM concentration. Nephelometers have an advantage 

over the EBAM by essentially providing real-time data. In addition, these instruments are also 

quite portable and consume very little power. However, nephelometers are generally not as 

tightly correlated to Federal Reference Method or Federal Equivalent Methods as the EBAM 

might be in a dynamic environment such as response-oriented smoke monitoring. Nephelometers 

are also essentially only effective for looking at PM2.5, and are much more easily biased by 

environmental conditions, especially by humidity. They are useful for at least providing 

"ballpark" representation of PM2.5 concentrations, but are not necessarily recommended to be 

used to assign publicly recognized air quality indicators such as those used by the Air Quality 

Index.