Particulate and trace gas emissions from prescribed burns in southeastern U.S. fuel types: Summary of a 5-year project

Journal Article · Wed Mar 04 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Fire Safety Journal, 74:71-81

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2015.02.016· OSTI ID:1182934

Weise, David; Johnson, Timothy J.; Reardon, James

Management of smoke from prescribed fires requires knowledge of fuel quantity and the amount and composition of the smoke produced by the fire to minimize adverse impacts on human health. A five-year study produced new emissions information for more than 100 trace gases and particulate matter in smoke for fuel types found in the southern United States of America using state-of-the-art instrumentation in both laboratory and field experiments. Emission factors for flaming, smoldering, and residual smoldering were developed. Agreement between laboratory and field-derived emission factors was generally good in most cases. Reference spectra of over 50 wildland fire gas-phase smoke components were added to a publicly-available database to support identification via infrared spectroscopy. Fuel loading for the field experiments was similar to previously measured fuels. This article summarizes the results of a five-year study to better understand the composition of smoke during all phases of burning for such forests.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1182934
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-109744; 400403209
• Journal Information: Fire Safety Journal, 74:71-81, Journal Name: Fire Safety Journal, 74:71-81
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English