Summary
Our policy brief analyzes the current federal policy and regulations surrounding smoke emissions from prescribed fire that limit land manager’s capacity to conduct this management tool. History of our nation’s management of public lands show that decades of fire suppression has created an era of mega fires that produces vast amounts of smoke that not only affects nearby communities, but threatens greater areas with lasting health effects. This policy brief provides recommendations and alternatives to amending the policy and regulations around smoke management and emission standards set by federal government.
Fast Facts
- Wildfire suppression spending is billions of dollars higher than spending on prescribed fire treatments annually
- Smoke from wildfire and prescribed burns perceived differently in public’s eyes, “intentional versus natural”
- Smoke from large wildfire events produce larger amounts of fine particulate matter than prescribed fire smoke
- This fine particulate matter (PM-2.5) is correlated with severe respiratory health effects that creates billions of dollars in health care costs annually
Recommendations
- Reallocate funding and budgets away from wildfire suppression to facilitate prescribed burning
- Amend the Clean Air Act to ease regulations regarding the allotted smoke emission from prescribed burns
- Reclassify smoke from prescribed fire away from wildfire smoke
- Increase agency ability to conduct prescribed burns through increase incentive of resource sharing amongst agencies
Final Draft of Policy Brief: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XHw30X0RfKcfT8S_Cvf2flDylOg3DnUmLB5nlHjxI8I/edit?usp=sharing
Presentation: https://391241.kaf.kaltura.com/media/0_ae6d96tj