1
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Maji KJ, Ford B, Li Z, Hu Y, Hu L, Langer CE, Hawkinson C, Paladugu S, Moraga-McHaley S, Woods B, Vansickle M, Uejio CK, Maichak C, Sablan O, Magzamen S, Pierce JR, Russell AG. Impact of the 2022 New Mexico, US wildfires on air quality and health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174197. [PMID: 38914336 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The 2022 wildfires in New Mexico, United States, were unparalleled compared to past wildfires in the state in both their scale and intensity, resulting in poor air quality and a catastrophic loss of habitat and livelihood. Among all wildfires in New Mexico in 2022, six wildfires were selected for our study based on the size of the burn area and their proximity to populated areas. These fires accounted for approximately 90 % of the total burn area in New Mexico in 2022. We used a regional chemical transport model and data-fusion technique to quantify the contribution of these six wildfires (April 6 to August 22) on particulate matter (PM2.5: diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and ozone (O3) concentrations, as well as the associated health impacts from short-term exposure. We estimated that these six wildfires emitted 152 thousand tons of PM2.5 and 287 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere. We estimated that the average daily wildfire smoke PM2.5 across New Mexico was 0.3 μg/m3, though 1 h maximum exceeded 120 μg/m3 near Santa Fe. Average wildfire smoke maximum daily average 8-h O3 (MDA8-O3) contribution was 0.2 ppb during the study period over New Mexico. However, over the state 1 h maximum smoke O3 exceeded 60 ppb in some locations near Santa Fe. Estimated all-cause excess mortality attributable to short term exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and MDA8-O3 from these six wildfires were 18 (95 % Confidence Interval (CI), 15-21) and 4 (95 % CI: 3-6) deaths. Additionally, we estimate that wildfire PM2.5 was responsible for 171 (95 %: 124-217) excess cases of asthma emergency department visits. Our findings underscore the impact of wildfires on air quality and human health risks, which are anticipated to intensify with global warming, even as local anthropogenic emissions decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal J Maji
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bonne Ford
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Zongrun Li
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yongtao Hu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Leiqiu Hu
- Department of Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Chelsea Eastman Langer
- New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Colin Hawkinson
- New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Srikanth Paladugu
- New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Stephanie Moraga-McHaley
- New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Brian Woods
- New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Melissa Vansickle
- Department of Geography, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | | | - Courtney Maichak
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Olivia Sablan
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Armistead G Russell
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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2
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Lee H, Jaffe DA. Wildfire Impacts on O 3 in the Continental United States Using PM 2.5 and a Generalized Additive Model (2018-2023). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:14764-14774. [PMID: 39120533 PMCID: PMC11340019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
We examined PM2.5 and Hazard Mapping System smoke plume satellite data at ∼600 United States (US) air monitoring stations to identify surface smoke on 14.0% of all May-September days for 2018-2023, with large influences in 2020 and 2021, due to California fires, and 2023, due to Canadian fires. Days with smoke have an average of 11 μg m-3 more PM2.5 and 8 ppb higher maximum daily 8 h average (MDA8) O3 concentrations than nonsmoke days, and they also account for 94% of all days that exceed the daily PM2.5 health standard (35 μg m-3) and 36% of all days that exceed the O3 health standard (70 ppb). To estimate the smoke contributions to the O3 MDA8, Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were built for each site using the nonsmoke day data and up to 8 predictors. The mean and standard deviation of the residuals from the GAMs were 0 ± 6.1 ppb for the nonsmoke day data and 4.3 ± 7.9 ppb for the smoke day data, indicating a significant enhancement in the MDA8 O3 on smoke days. We found positive residuals on 72% of the smoke days and for these days, we calculate an average smoke contribution to the O3 MDA8 of 7.8 ± 6.0 ppb. Over the 6 year period, the percentage of exceedance days due to smoke in the continental US was 25% of all exceedance days, and the highest was in 2023 (38%). In 2023, the Central US experienced an unusually high number of exceedance days, 1522, with 52% of these impacted by smoke, while the Eastern US had fewer exceedance days, 288, with 78% of these impacted by smoke. Our results demonstrate the importance of wildland fires as contributors to exceedances of the health-based national air quality standards for PM2.5 and O3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haebum Lee
- School
of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington 98011, United States
| | - Daniel A. Jaffe
- School
of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington 98011, United States
- Department
of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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3
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Connolly R, Marlier ME, Garcia-Gonzales DA, Wilkins J, Su J, Bekker C, Jung J, Bonilla E, Burnett RT, Zhu Y, Jerrett M. Mortality attributable to PM 2.5 from wildland fires in California from 2008 to 2018. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl1252. [PMID: 38848356 PMCID: PMC11160451 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
In California, wildfire risk and severity have grown substantially in the last several decades. Research has characterized extensive adverse health impacts from exposure to wildfire-attributable fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but few studies have quantified long-term outcomes, and none have used a wildfire-specific chronic dose-response mortality coefficient. Here, we quantified the mortality burden for PM2.5 exposure from California fires from 2008 to 2018 using Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system wildland fire PM2.5 estimates. We used a concentration-response function for PM2.5, applying ZIP code-level mortality data and an estimated wildfire-specific dose-response coefficient accounting for the likely toxicity of wildfire smoke. We estimate a total of 52,480 to 55,710 premature deaths are attributable to wildland fire PM2.5 over the 11-year period with respect to two exposure scenarios, equating to an economic impact of $432 to $456 billion. These findings extend evidence on climate-related health impacts, suggesting that wildfires account for a greater mortality and economic burden than indicated by earlier studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Connolly
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Miriam E. Marlier
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Diane A. Garcia-Gonzales
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Wilkins
- Department of Earth, Environment and Equity, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jason Su
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Claire Bekker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jihoon Jung
- Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eimy Bonilla
- Department of Earth, Environment and Equity, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Richard T. Burnett
- Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Population Studies Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Yifang Zhu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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4
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Abstract
We review current knowledge on the trends and drivers of global wildfire activity, advances in the measurement of wildfire smoke exposure, and evidence on the health effects of this exposure. We describe methodological issues in estimating the causal effects of wildfire smoke exposures on health and quantify their importance, emphasizing the role of nonlinear and lagged effects. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure, finding positive impacts on all-cause mortality and respiratory hospitalizations but less consistent evidence on cardiovascular morbidity. We conclude by highlighting priority areas for future research, including leveraging recently developed spatially and temporally resolved wildfire-specific ambient air pollution data to improve estimates of the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos F Gould
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; ,
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA;
| | - Mary Johnson
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ,
| | - Juan Aguilera
- Center for Community Health Impact, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, El Paso, Texas, USA;
| | - Marshall Burke
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; ,
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA;
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kari Nadeau
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ,
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5
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Wen J, Heft-Neal S, Baylis P, Boomhower J, Burke M. Quantifying fire-specific smoke exposure and health impacts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2309325120. [PMID: 38085772 PMCID: PMC10743475 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309325120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapidly changing wildfire regimes across the Western United States have driven more frequent and severe wildfires, resulting in wide-ranging societal threats from wildfires and wildfire-generated smoke. However, common measures of fire severity focus on what is burned, disregarding the societal impacts of smoke generated from each fire. We combine satellite-derived fire scars, air parcel trajectories from individual fires, and predicted smoke PM2.5 to link source fires to resulting smoke PM2.5 and health impacts experienced by populations in the contiguous United States from April 2006 to 2020. We quantify fire-specific accumulated smoke exposure based on the cumulative population exposed to smoke PM2.5 over the duration of a fire and estimate excess asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits as a result of this exposure. We find that excess asthma visits attributable to each fire are only moderately correlated with common measures of wildfire severity, including burned area, structures destroyed, and suppression cost. Additionally, while recent California fires contributed nearly half of the country's smoke-related excess asthma ED visits during our study period, the most severe individual fire was the 2007 Bugaboo fire in the Southeast. We estimate that a majority of smoke PM2.5 comes from sources outside the local jurisdictions where the smoke is experienced, with 87% coming from fires in other counties and 60% from fires in other states. Our approach could enable broad-scale assessment of whether specific fire characteristics affect smoke toxicity or impact, inform cost-effectiveness assessments for allocation of suppression resources, and help clarify the growing transboundary nature of local air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Wen
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Patrick Baylis
- Department of Economics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Judson Boomhower
- Department of Economics, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Marshall Burke
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA02138
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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6
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Burke M, Childs ML, de la Cuesta B, Qiu M, Li J, Gould CF, Heft-Neal S, Wara M. The contribution of wildfire to PM 2.5 trends in the USA. Nature 2023; 622:761-766. [PMID: 37730996 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Steady improvements in ambient air quality in the USA over the past several decades, in part a result of public policy1,2, have led to public health benefits1-4. However, recent trends in ambient concentrations of particulate matter with diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), a pollutant regulated under the Clean Air Act1, have stagnated or begun to reverse throughout much of the USA5. Here we use a combination of ground- and satellite-based air pollution data from 2000 to 2022 to quantify the contribution of wildfire smoke to these PM2.5 trends. We find that since at least 2016, wildfire smoke has influenced trends in average annual PM2.5 concentrations in nearly three-quarters of states in the contiguous USA, eroding about 25% of previous multi-decadal progress in reducing PM2.5 concentrations on average in those states, equivalent to 4 years of air quality progress, and more than 50% in many western states. Smoke influence on trends in the number of days with extreme PM2.5 concentrations is detectable by 2011, but the influence can be detected primarily in western and mid-western states. Wildfire-driven increases in ambient PM2.5 concentrations are unregulated under current air pollution law6 and, in the absence of further interventions, we show that the contribution of wildfire to regional and national air quality trends is likely to grow as the climate continues to warm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall Burke
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Marissa L Childs
- Center for the Environment, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brandon de la Cuesta
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Minghao Qiu
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Li
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carlos F Gould
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael Wara
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Woods Institute of the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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7
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Xu R, Ye T, Yue X, Yang Z, Yu W, Zhang Y, Bell ML, Morawska L, Yu P, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Liu Y, Johnston F, Lei Y, Abramson MJ, Guo Y, Li S. Global population exposure to landscape fire air pollution from 2000 to 2019. Nature 2023; 621:521-529. [PMID: 37730866 PMCID: PMC10511322 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06398-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires are thought to be increasing in severity and frequency as a result of climate change1-5. Air pollution from landscape fires can negatively affect human health4-6, but human exposure to landscape fire-sourced (LFS) air pollution has not been well characterized at the global scale7-23. Here, we estimate global daily LFS outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and surface ozone concentrations at 0.25° × 0.25° resolution during the period 2000-2019 with the help of machine learning and chemical transport models. We found that overall population-weighted average LFS PM2.5 and ozone concentrations were 2.5 µg m-3 (6.1% of all-source PM2.5) and 3.2 µg m-3 (3.6% of all-source ozone), respectively, in 2010-2019, with a slight increase for PM2.5, but not for ozone, compared with 2000-2009. Central Africa, Southeast Asia, South America and Siberia experienced the highest LFS PM2.5 and ozone concentrations. The concentrations of LFS PM2.5 and ozone were about four times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries. During the period 2010-2019, 2.18 billion people were exposed to at least 1 day of substantial LFS air pollution per year, with each person in the world having, on average, 9.9 days of exposure per year. These two metrics increased by 6.8% and 2.1%, respectively, compared with 2000-2009. Overall, we find that the global population is increasingly exposed to LFS air pollution, with socioeconomic disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongbin Xu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tingting Ye
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xu Yue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Joint International Research Laboratory of Climate and Environment Change, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China.
| | - Zhengyu Yang
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wenhua Yu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle L Bell
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lidia Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pei Yu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuxi Zhang
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yao Wu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yanming Liu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fay Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Yadong Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather and Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Michael J Abramson
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Shanshan Li
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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8
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Pan S, Gan L, Jung J, Yu W, Roy A, Diao L, Jeon W, Souri AH, Gao HO, Choi Y. Quantifying the premature mortality and economic loss from wildfire-induced PM 2.5 in the contiguous U.S. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162614. [PMID: 36871727 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Emissions from wildfires worsen air quality and can adversely impact human health. This study utilized the fire inventory from NCAR (FINN) as wildfire emissions, and performed air quality modeling of April-October 2012, 2013, and 2014 using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency CMAQ model under two cases: with and without wildfire emissions. This study then assessed the health impacts and economic values attributable to PM2.5 from fires. Results indicated that wildfires could lead annually to 4000 cases of premature mortality in the U.S., corresponding to $36 billion losses. Regions with high concentrations of fire-induced PM2.5 were in the west (e.g., Idaho, Montana, and northern California) and Southeast (e.g., Alabama, Georgia). Metropolitan areas located near fire sources, exhibited large health burdens, such as Los Angeles (119 premature deaths, corresponding to $1.07 billion), Atlanta (76, $0.69 billion), and Houston (65, $0.58 billion). Regions in the downwind of western fires, although experiencing relatively low values of fire-induced PM2.5, showed notable health burdens due to their large population, such as metropolitan areas of New York (86, $0.78 billion), Chicago (60, $0.54 billion), and Pittsburgh (32, $0.29 billion). Results suggest that impacts from wildfires are substantial, and to mitigate these impacts, better forest management and more resilient infrastructure would be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Pan
- Emergency Management College, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lu Gan
- Emergency Management College, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China
| | - Jia Jung
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA; Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Wendi Yu
- Emergency Management College, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China
| | | | | | - Wonbae Jeon
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Amir H Souri
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - H Oliver Gao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yunsoo Choi
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
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9
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Li Z, Maji KJ, Hu Y, Vaidyanathan A, O’Neill SM, Odman MT, Russell AG. An Analysis of Prescribed Fire Activities and Emissions in the Southeastern United States from 2013 to 2020. REMOTE SENSING 2023; 15:10.3390/rs15112725. [PMID: 39100105 PMCID: PMC11296730 DOI: 10.3390/rs15112725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Prescribed burning is a major source of a fine particular matter, especially in the southeastern United States, and quantifying emissions from burning operations accurately is an integral part of ascertaining air quality impacts. For instance, a critical factor in calculating fire emissions is identifying fire activity information (e.g., location, date/time, fire type, and area burned) and prior estimations of prescribed fire activity used for calculating emissions have either used burn permit records or satellite-based remote sensing products. While burn permit records kept by state agencies are a reliable source, they are not always available or readily accessible. Satellite-based remote sensing products are currently used to fill the data gaps, especially in regional studies; however, they cannot differentiate prescribed burns from the other types of fires. In this study, we developed novel algorithms to distinguish prescribed burns from wildfires and agricultural burns in a satellite-derived product, Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN). We matched and compared the burned areas from permit records and FINN at various spatial scales: individual fire level, 4 km grid level, and state level. The methods developed in this study are readily usable for differentiating burn type, matching and comparing the burned area between two datasets at various resolutions, and estimating prescribed burn emissions. The results showed that burned areas from permits and FINN have a weak correlation at the individual fire level, while the correlation is much higher for the 4 km grid and state levels. Since matching at the 4 km grid level showed a relatively higher correlation and chemical transport models typically use grid-based emissions, we used the linear regression relationship between FINN and permit burned areas at the grid level to adjust FINN burned areas. This adjustment resulted in a reduction in FINN-burned areas by 34%. The adjusted burned area was then used as input to the BlueSky Smoke Modeling Framework to provide long-term, three-dimensional prescribed burning emissions for the southeastern United States. In this study, we also compared emissions from different methods (FINN or BlueSky) and different data sources (adjusted FINN or permits) to evaluate uncertainties of our emission estimation. The comparison results showed the impacts of the burned area, method, and data source on prescribed burning emission estimations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongrun Li
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kamal J. Maji
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Yongtao Hu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Ambarish Vaidyanathan
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Susan M. O’Neill
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Seattle, WA 98103, USA
| | - M. Talat Odman
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Armistead G. Russell
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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10
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Cobelo I, Castelhano FJ, Borge R, Roig HL, Adams M, Amini H, Koutrakis P, Réquia WJ. The impact of wildfires on air pollution and health across land use categories in Brazil over a 16-year period. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 224:115522. [PMID: 36813066 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Forest fires cause many environmental impacts, including air pollution. Brazil is a very fire-prone region where few studies have investigated the impact of wildfires on air quality and health. We proposed to test two hypotheses in this study: i) the wildfires in Brazil have increased the levels of air pollution and posed a health hazard in 2003-2018, and ii) the magnitude of this phenomenon depends on the type of land use and land cover (e.g., forest area, agricultural area, etc.). Satellite and ensemble models derived data were used as input in our analyses. Wildfire events were retrieved from Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), provided by NASA; air pollution data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS); meteorological variables from the ERA-Interim model; and land use/cover data were derived from pixel-based classification of Landsat satellite images by MapBiomas. We used a framework that infers the "wildfire penalty" by accounting for differences in linear pollutant annual trends (β) between two models to test these hypotheses. The first model was adjusted for Wildfire-related Land Use activities (WLU), considered as an adjusted model. In the second model, defined as an unadjusted model, we removed the wildfire variable (WLU). Both models were controlled by meteorological variables. We used a generalized additive approach to fit these two models. To estimate mortality associated with wildfire penalties, we applied health impact function. Our findings suggest that wildfire events between 2003 and 2018 have increased the levels of air pollution and posed a significant health hazard in Brazil, supporting our first hypothesis. For example, in the Pampa biome, we estimated an annual wildfire penalty of 0.005 μg/m3 (95%CI: 0.001; 0.009) on PM2.5. Our results also confirm the second hypothesis. We observed that the greatest impact of wildfires on PM2.5 concentrations occurred in soybean areas in the Amazon biome. During the 16 years of the study period, wildfires originating from soybean areas in the Amazon biome were associated with a total penalty of 0.64 μg/m3 (95%CI: 0.32; 0.96) on PM2.5, causing an estimated 3872 (95%CI: 2560; 5168) excess deaths. Sugarcane crops were also a driver of deforestation-related wildfires in Brazil, mainly in Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. Our findings suggest that between 2003 and 2018, fires originating from sugarcane crops were associated with a total penalty of 0.134 μg/m3 (95%CI: 0.037; 0.232) on PM2.5 in Atlantic Forest biome, resulting in an estimated 7600 (95%CI: 4400; 10,800) excess deaths during the study period, and 0.096 μg/m3 (95%CI: 0.048; 0.144) on PM2.5 in Cerrado biome, resulting in an estimated 1632 (95%CI: 1152; 2112) excess deaths during the study period. Considering that the wildfire penalties observed during our study period may continue to be a challenge in the future, this study should be of interest to policymakers to prepare future strategies related to forest protection, land use management, agricultural activities, environmental health, climate change, and sources of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Cobelo
- School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Borge
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Henrique L Roig
- Geoscience Institute, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Matthew Adams
- Department of Geography, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
| | - Heresh Amini
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Weeberb J Réquia
- School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasília, Brazil
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11
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Huang X, Ding K, Liu J, Wang Z, Tang R, Xue L, Wang H, Zhang Q, Tan ZM, Fu C, Davis SJ, Andreae MO, Ding A. Smoke-weather interaction affects extreme wildfires in diverse coastal regions. Science 2023; 379:457-461. [PMID: 36730415 DOI: 10.1126/science.add9843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Extreme wildfires threaten human lives, air quality, and ecosystems. Meteorology plays a vital role in wildfire behaviors, and the links between wildfires and climate have been widely studied. However, it is not fully clear how fire-weather feedback affects short-term wildfire variability, which undermines our ability to mitigate fire disasters. Here, we show the primacy of synoptic-scale feedback in driving extreme fires in Mediterranean and monsoon climate regimes in the West Coast of the United States and Southeastern Asia. We found that radiative effects of smoke aerosols can modify near-surface wind, air dryness, and rainfall and thus worsen air pollution by enhancing fire emissions and weakening dispersion. The intricate interactions among wildfires, smoke, and weather form a positive feedback loop that substantially increases air pollution exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ke Ding
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jingyi Liu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zilin Wang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Rong Tang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lian Xue
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Haikun Wang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhe-Min Tan
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Congbin Fu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Steven J Davis
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Meinrat O Andreae
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Department of Geology and Geophysics, King Saud University, Riyadh 145111, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aijun Ding
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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12
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Childs ML, Li J, Wen J, Heft-Neal S, Driscoll A, Wang S, Gould CF, Qiu M, Burney J, Burke M. Daily Local-Level Estimates of Ambient Wildfire Smoke PM 2.5 for the Contiguous US. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13607-13621. [PMID: 36134580 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Smoke from wildfires is a growing health risk across the US. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of such exposure and its population health impacts requires separating smoke-driven pollutants from non-smoke pollutants and a long time series to quantify patterns and measure health impacts. We develop a parsimonious and accurate machine learning model of daily wildfire-driven PM2.5 concentrations using a combination of ground, satellite, and reanalysis data sources that are easy to update. We apply our model across the contiguous US from 2006 to 2020, generating daily estimates of smoke PM2.5 over a 10 km-by-10 km grid and use these data to characterize levels and trends in smoke PM2.5. Smoke contributions to daily PM2.5 concentrations have increased by up to 5 μg/m3 in the Western US over the last decade, reversing decades of policy-driven improvements in overall air quality, with concentrations growing fastest for higher income populations and predominantly Hispanic populations. The number of people in locations with at least 1 day of smoke PM2.5 above 100 μg/m3 per year has increased 27-fold over the last decade, including nearly 25 million people in 2020 alone. Our data set can bolster efforts to comprehensively understand the drivers and societal impacts of trends and extremes in wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa L Childs
- Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jessica Li
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jeffrey Wen
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Anne Driscoll
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sherrie Wang
- Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Carlos F Gould
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Minghao Qiu
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jennifer Burney
- Global Policy School, UC San Diego, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Marshall Burke
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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13
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Heft-Neal S, Driscoll A, Yang W, Shaw G, Burke M. Associations between wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth in California. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111872. [PMID: 34403668 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
There is limited population-scale evidence on the burden of exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy and its impacts on birth outcomes. In order to investigate this relationship, data on every singleton birth in California 2006-2012 were combined with satellite-based estimates of wildfire smoke plume boundaries and high-resolution gridded estimates of surface PM2.5 concentrations and a regression model was used to estimate associations with preterm birth risk. Results suggest that each additional day of exposure to any wildfire smoke during pregnancy was associated with an 0.49 % (95 % CI: 0.41-0.59 %) increase in risk of preterm birth (<37 weeks). At sample median smoke exposure (7 days) this translated to a 3.4 % increase in risk, relative to an unexposed mother. Estimates by trimester suggest stronger associations with exposure later in pregnancy and estimates by smoke intensity indicate that observed associations were driven by higher intensity smoke-days. Exposure to low intensity smoke-days had no association with preterm birth while an additional medium (smoke PM2.5 5-10 μg/m3) or high (smoke PM2.5 > 10 μg/m3) intensity smoke-day was associated with an 0.95 % (95 % CI: 0.47-1.42 %) and 0.82 % (95 % CI: 0.41-1.24 %) increase in preterm risk, respectively. In contrast to previous findings for other pollution types, neither exposure to smoke nor the relative impact of smoke on preterm birth differed by race/ethnicity or income in our sample. However, impacts differed greatly by baseline smoke exposure, with mothers in regions with infrequent smoke exposure experiencing substantially larger impacts from an additional smoke-day than mothers in regions where smoke is more common. We estimate 6,974 (95 % CI: 5,513-8,437) excess preterm births attributable to wildfire smoke exposure 2007-2012, accounting for 3.7 % of observed preterm births during this period. Our findings have important implications for understanding the costs of growing wildfire smoke exposure, and for understanding the benefits of smoke mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Anne Driscoll
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gary Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marshall Burke
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
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14
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Requia WJ, Amini H, Mukherjee R, Gold DR, Schwartz JD. Health impacts of wildfire-related air pollution in Brazil: a nationwide study of more than 2 million hospital admissions between 2008 and 2018. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6555. [PMID: 34772927 PMCID: PMC8589982 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26822-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We quantified the impacts of wildfire-related PM2.5 on 2 million hospital admissions records due to cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil between 2008 and 2018. The national analysis shows that wildfire waves are associated with an increase of 23% (95%CI: 12%-33%) in respiratory hospital admissions and an increase of 21% (95%CI: 8%-35%) in circulatory hospital admissions. In the North (where most of the Amazon region is located), we estimate an increase of 38% (95%CI: 30%-47%) in respiratory hospital admissions and 27% (95%CI: 15%-39%) in circulatory hospital admissions. Here we report epidemiological evidence that air pollution emitted by wildfires is significantly associated with a higher risk of cardiorespiratory hospital admissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weeberb J Requia
- School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
| | - Heresh Amini
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rajarshi Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diane R Gold
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel D Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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15
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Koplitz SN, Nolte CG, Sabo RD, Clark CM, Horn KJ, Thomas RQ, Newcomer-Johnson TA. The contribution of wildland fire emissions to deposition in the U S: implications for tree growth and survival in the Northwest. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:10.1088/1748-9326/abd26e. [PMID: 33747119 PMCID: PMC7970516 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abd26e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems require access to key nutrients like nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) to sustain growth and healthy function. However, excessive deposition can also damage ecosystems through nutrient imbalances, leading to changes in productivity and shifts in ecosystem structure. While wildland fires are a known source of atmospheric N and S, little has been done to examine the implications of wildland fire deposition for vulnerable ecosystems. We combine wildland fire emission estimates, atmospheric chemistry modeling, and forest inventory data to (a) quantify the contribution of wildland fire emissions to N and S deposition across the U S, and (b) assess the subsequent impacts on tree growth and survival rates in areas where impacts are likely meaningful based on the relative contribution of fire to total deposition. We estimate that wildland fires contributed 0.2 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 0.04 kg S ha-1 yr-1 on average across the U S during 2008-2012, with maxima up to 1.4 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 0.6 kg S ha-1 yr-1 in the Northwest representing over ~30% of total deposition in some areas. Based on these fluxes, exceedances of S critical loads as a result of wildland fires are minimal, but exceedances for N may affect the survival and growth rates of 16 tree species across 4.2 million hectares, with the most concentrated impacts occurring in Oregon, northern California, and Idaho. Understanding the broader environmental impacts of wildland fires in the U S will inform future decision making related to both fire management and ecosystem services conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon N Koplitz
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
- Current address: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Christopher G Nolte
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert D Sabo
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US EPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Clark
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US EPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Kevin J Horn
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - R Quinn Thomas
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
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16
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Burke M, Driscoll A, Heft-Neal S, Xue J, Burney J, Wara M. The changing risk and burden of wildfire in the United States. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2011048118. [PMID: 33431571 PMCID: PMC7812759 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011048118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent dramatic and deadly increases in global wildfire activity have increased attention on the causes of wildfires, their consequences, and how risk from wildfire might be mitigated. Here we bring together data on the changing risk and societal burden of wildfire in the United States. We estimate that nearly 50 million homes are currently in the wildland-urban interface in the United States, a number increasing by 1 million houses every 3 y. To illustrate how changes in wildfire activity might affect air pollution and related health outcomes, and how these linkages might guide future science and policy, we develop a statistical model that relates satellite-based fire and smoke data to information from pollution monitoring stations. Using the model, we estimate that wildfires have accounted for up to 25% of PM2.5 (particulate matter with diameter <2.5 μm) in recent years across the United States, and up to half in some Western regions, with spatial patterns in ambient smoke exposure that do not follow traditional socioeconomic pollution exposure gradients. We combine the model with stylized scenarios to show that fuel management interventions could have large health benefits and that future health impacts from climate-change-induced wildfire smoke could approach projected overall increases in temperature-related mortality from climate change-but that both estimates remain uncertain. We use model results to highlight important areas for future research and to draw lessons for policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall Burke
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305;
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Anne Driscoll
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Jiani Xue
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Jennifer Burney
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Michael Wara
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
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17
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Wan Mahari WA, Azwar E, Li Y, Wang Y, Peng W, Ma NL, Yang H, Rinklebe J, Lam SS, Sonne C. Deforestation of rainforests requires active use of UN's Sustainable Development Goals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 742:140681. [PMID: 33167298 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The deforestation and burning of the Amazon and other rainforests is having a cascade of effects on global climate, biodiversity, human health and local and regional socioeconomics. This challenging situation demands a sustainable exploitation of the region's resources in accordance with the United Nations (UNs) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to meet Good Environmental Status and reduce poverty. The management of forests sustainability spans across at least eight of the 17 UN SDGs mainly to combat desertification, halt biodiversity loss, and reverse land degradation. Significant changes are needed if we are to sustain the world's rainforests and thereby the global climate and biodiversity. These measures and mitigations are of global responsibility requiring both developed and developing nations such as the United States, EU, and China to change their policies and stand regarding their high demand for meat and hardwood. When possible, non-profit tree-planting internet browsers should be implemented by governments and institutions. So far, there is a lack of active use of the UN SDGs and the countries must therefore need to fully adopt the UN SDGs in order to help the situation. One way to enforce this could be through imposing economic penalties to governments and national institutions that do not adhere to for example publishing open access of data and other important information relevant for the mission of the UN SDGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Adibah Wan Mahari
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Elfina Azwar
- Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Yiyang Li
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Yacheng Wang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Wanxi Peng
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Nyuk Ling Ma
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Han Yang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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18
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Guan S, Wong DC, Gao Y, Zhang T, Pouliot G. Impact of wildfire on particulate matter in the southeastern United States in November 2016. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138354. [PMID: 32272416 PMCID: PMC8058695 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In November 2016, a large area of wildfire occurred in the southeastern United States, concomitant with the occurrence of severe drought during the same period. Whereas the previous studies on biomass burning over this region mainly focused on the prescribed fire, this study investigated the impact of wildfire using the two-way-coupled Weather Research and Forecasting model and Community Multiscale Air Quality model. Two episodic wildfire burning events (November 6 to 9 and November 13 to 16, 2016) were selected, and the mean contribution to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the southeastern United States from wildfires reached 9.6 to 42.5 μg m-3 and 10.9 to 26.1 μg m-3, with mean relative contributions of 41% and 49%, respectively, during these two events. The effect of wildfire propagates along the path of the smoke plume, which is determined by the wind speed and direction. For instance, during the first event, the dominant low-altitude wind vector displayed an anticyclonic-type flow with low wind speed, resulting in relatively localized influence and high intensity. In contrast, during the second event, relatively fast eastward wind, particularly over the latter part of the event, strengthened the diffusion and affected larger areas in comparison with the first event. Moreover, differently from the previous studies, this study took a further step to reveal the mechanism of the aerosol direct effect on the deterioration of air quality during wildfire, mainly through the modulation of reduction in surface downward shortwave radiation, planetary boundary layer height and wind speed, subsequently, facilitating pollution accumulation. Quantification analysis showed an average of 10% to 14% extra enhancement of PM2.5 during the November 6 to 8 episode. Considering that more frequent drought is projected to occur in the southeastern United States, wildfire may play an even more important role in modulating the air quality in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Guan
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - David C Wong
- Atmospheric and Environmental Systems Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Yang Gao
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China.
| | - Tianqi Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - George Pouliot
- Atmospheric and Environmental Systems Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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19
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Jaffe DA, O’Neill SM, Larkin NK, Holder AL, Peterson DL, Halofsky JE, Rappold AG. Wildfire and prescribed burning impacts on air quality in the United States. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2020; 70:583-615. [PMID: 32240055 PMCID: PMC7932990 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2020.1749731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Air quality impacts from wildfires have been dramatic in recent years, with millions of people exposed to elevated and sometimes hazardous fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) concentrations for extended periods. Fires emit particulate matter (PM) and gaseous compounds that can negatively impact human health and reduce visibility. While the overall trend in U.S. air quality has been improving for decades, largely due to implementation of the Clean Air Act, seasonal wildfires threaten to undo this in some regions of the United States. Our understanding of the health effects of smoke is growing with regard to respiratory and cardiovascular consequences and mortality. The costs of these health outcomes can exceed the billions already spent on wildfire suppression. In this critical review, we examine each of the processes that influence wildland fires and the effects of fires, including the natural role of wildland fire, forest management, ignitions, emissions, transport, chemistry, and human health impacts. We highlight key data gaps and examine the complexity and scope and scale of fire occurrence, estimated emissions, and resulting effects on regional air quality across the United States. The goal is to clarify which areas are well understood and which need more study. We conclude with a set of recommendations for future research. IMPLICATIONS In the recent decade the area of wildfires in the United States has increased dramatically and the resulting smoke has exposed millions of people to unhealthy air quality. In this critical review we examine the key factors and impacts from fires including natural role of wildland fire, forest management, ignitions, emissions, transport, chemistry and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Jaffe
- School of STEM and Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Amara L. Holder
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - David L. Peterson
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Jessica E. Halofsky
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Ana G. Rappold
- National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Hodshire AL, Akherati A, Alvarado MJ, Brown-Steiner B, Jathar SH, Jimenez JL, Kreidenweis SM, Lonsdale CR, Onasch TB, Ortega AM, Pierce JR. Aging Effects on Biomass Burning Aerosol Mass and Composition: A Critical Review of Field and Laboratory Studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:10007-10022. [PMID: 31365241 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Biomass burning is a major source of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with impacts on health, climate, and air quality. The particles and vapors within biomass burning plumes undergo chemical and physical aging as they are transported downwind. Field measurements of the evolution of PM with plume age range from net decreases to net increases, with most showing little to no change. In contrast, laboratory studies tend to show significant mass increases on average. On the other hand, similar effects of aging on the average PM composition (e.g., oxygen-to-carbon ratio) are reported for lab and field studies. Currently, there is no consensus on the mechanisms that lead to these observed similarities and differences. This review summarizes available observations of aging-related biomass burning aerosol mass concentrations and composition markers, and discusses four broad hypotheses to explain variability within and between field and laboratory campaigns: (1) variability in emissions and chemistry, (2) differences in dilution/entrainment, (3) losses in chambers and lines, and (4) differences in the timing of the initial measurement, the baseline from which changes are estimated. We conclude with a concise set of research needs for advancing our understanding of the aging of biomass burning aerosol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Hodshire
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Ali Akherati
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Matthew J Alvarado
- Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. , Lexington , Massachusetts 02421 , United States
| | - Benjamin Brown-Steiner
- Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. , Lexington , Massachusetts 02421 , United States
| | - Shantanu H Jathar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Jose L Jimenez
- Dept. of Chemistry and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309 , United States
| | - Sonia M Kreidenweis
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Chantelle R Lonsdale
- Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. , Lexington , Massachusetts 02421 , United States
| | - Timothy B Onasch
- Aerodyne Research Inc. , Billerica , Massachusetts 01821 , United States
| | - Amber M Ortega
- Dept. Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309 , United States
| | - Jeffrey R Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
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Baker KR, Koplitz SN, Foley KM, Avey L, Hawkins A. Characterizing grassland fire activity in the Flint Hills region and air quality using satellite and routine surface monitor data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 659:1555-1566. [PMID: 31096365 PMCID: PMC6704483 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Prescribed grassland fires in the Flint Hills region of central Kansas and northern Oklahoma are a common tool for land management. Local to regional scale impacts on air quality from grassland fires in this region are not well understood, which is important as these types of prescribed fires may increase in the future to preserve broader areas of native grasses in the central U.S. Routine air quality and deposition measurements from sites in and near the Flint Hills were examined for coincident increases during periods of increased prescribed grassland fires. Prescribed fire activity in this region was quantified using satellite detections and multiple publicly available data products of area burned information. March and April comprise over half (41 to 93%) of all annual fire detections in the Flint Hills region seen from satellites between 2007 and 2018 excluding drought years. Annual total fire detections in this region range between 1 and 12 thousand and account for approximately 3% of all fire detections in the contiguous U.S. Annual acres burned ranged from 0.2 to 2 million acres based on U.S. EPA's National Emission Inventory, which accounts for 4 to 38% of grasslands in the area. A comparison of weekly standardized anomalies suggests a relationship between periods of increased grassland fire activity and elevated levels of PM2.5 organic carbon, elemental carbon, and potassium. Daily 1-hr maximum ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and oxidized nitrogen gases measured at Konza Prairie also had increased levels when prescribed grassland fire activity was highest. This detailed characterization of prescribed fire activity in the Flint Hills and associated air quality impacts will benefit future efforts to understand changes in atmospheric composition due to changing land management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Baker
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - S N Koplitz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - K M Foley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - L Avey
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lenexa, KS, USA
| | - A Hawkins
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lenexa, KS, USA
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O'Dell K, Ford B, Fischer EV, Pierce JR. Contribution of Wildland-Fire Smoke to US PM 2.5 and Its Influence on Recent Trends. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:1797-1804. [PMID: 30681842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal-mean concentrations of particulate matter with diameters smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) have been decreasing across the United States (US) for several decades, with large reductions in spring and summer in the eastern US. In contrast, summertime-mean PM2.5 in the western US has not significantly decreased. Wildfires, a large source of summertime PM2.5 in the western US, have been increasing in frequency and burned area in recent decades. Increases in extreme PM2.5 events attributable to wildland fires have been observed in wildfire-prone regions, but it is unclear how these increases impact trends in seasonal-mean PM2.5. Using two distinct methods, (1) interpolated surface observations combined with satellite-based smoke plume estimates and (2) the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model (CTM), we identify recent trends (2006-2016) in summer smoke, nonsmoke, and total PM2.5 across the US. We observe significant decreases in nonsmoke influenced PM2.5 in the western US and find increases in summer-mean smoke PM2.5 in fire-prone regions, although these are not statistically significant due to large interannual variability in the abundance of smoke. These results indicate that without the influence of wildland fires, we would expect to have observed improvements in summer fine particle pollution in the western US but likely weaker improvements than those observed in the eastern US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn O'Dell
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , 200 West Lake Street, 1371 Campus Delivery , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Bonne Ford
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , 200 West Lake Street, 1371 Campus Delivery , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Emily V Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , 200 West Lake Street, 1371 Campus Delivery , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Jeffrey R Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric Science , Colorado State University , 200 West Lake Street, 1371 Campus Delivery , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
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