New federal funding will allow researchers in the Mountain West to study the polluted air associated with wildfires.
The Nevada based nonprofit Desert Research Institute (DRI) has landed a $1.3 million grant to work with NASA, using satellite technology to focus on the health impacts associated with wildfire smoke.
“So the project goal is to improve fire, weather and smoke forecasts but perhaps even more importantly is communication of the hazard to the public and to the community,” says Tim Brown, research professor of climatology and director of DRI’s Western Regional Climate Center.
As wildland fires grow in frequency and severity, the dangers to public health and safety have increased exponentially. This project will work to better track, map, and forecast fires and smoke in Nevada. Brown says this effort will allow scientists to fill some gaps in their knowledge about wildfire smoke.
“So far it’s very simplified models, so the idea is to improve upon that to get more accuracy, to get more predictability.”
Monitoring air quality can help mitigate exposure to particulate matter 2.5 pollutants. These microscopic particles float in the air as a result of wildfire smoke. They can enter a person's respiratory and cardiovascular system and have been linked to a range of health problems.
Studies will begin in Nevada and eventually include other Western states, like Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho and Utah.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
