1 Martha C. Monroe 2 Prescribed burning, the controlled use of fire to achieve land management goals, is a useful tool for resource managers in Florida. Land owners may choose fire to achieve a variety of objectives, such as restoring a fire-dependent ecosystem, enhancing forage for cattle, improving wildlife habitat, preparing sites for reforestation, or reducing hazardous fuel loads. Fire for any of these reasons will produce smoke. Some smoke is necessary to achieve the many benefits of prescribed burning, and land managers recognize that smoke management is critical to avoid air quality intrusions over urban areas or visibility problems on highways. As more people move to Florida's rural areas, more people will be exposed to smoke from these fires.
Smoke is a mixture of carbon particles and water vapor.
These particulates are an air pollutant regulated by federal law. Thus, to fully understand the air quality concerns, this fact sheet begins with some background on air pollution regulations, continues with the new recommendations for particulates, and concludes with a description of the many strategies that can be used to protect air quality while still gleaning the benefits of prescribed burning. Air Quality in Florida Florida's aging population is sensitive to air quality. Acknowledging the impact of air quality on the elderly, Florida Congressman Paul G. Rogers played a leadership role in the development of the Clean Air Act of 1970. At the time, clouds of industrial and vehicular pollution regularly blanketed Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.