Story by Adam Voiland. A satellite sensor is helping scientists understand where smoke is headed and what it means for those breathing it. Atmosphere Fires. With dozens of wildfires burning in a part of Russia best known for its frigid winters, the CALIPSO satellite offered this view through the clouds and smoke. Image of the Day Atmosphere Fires. This photo-like image from August 4, , shows intense fires burning across central Russia and a thick plume of smoke stretching about 3, kilometers 1, miles.
EO Explorer. How the Smoke Rises. November 9, View this area in EO Explorer. View more Images of the Day:. Have a supply of N or P masks on hand, and learn how to use them correctly. Pay attention to local air quality reports. As smoke gets worse, the concentration of particles in the air increases - and so should the steps you take to protect yourself. Air quality reports are available through local news media, your local air agency or on airnow.
Use common sense to guide your activities. And it's probably not a good time for children - especially children with asthma - to be vigorously active outdoors, or active outdoors for prolonged periods of time.
If you are active outdoors, pay attention to symptoms. Symptoms are an indication that you need to reduce exposure. Dust masks aren't enough! Particulate masks known as N or P respirators will help, but they must fit well and be used correctly. They are sold at many hardware and home repair stores and online. If you are advised to stay indoors, take steps to keep indoor air as clean as possible.
Keep your windows and doors closed - unless it's extremely hot outside. This explains why you see no smoke from a charcoal fire or a fire that has burned down to embers. Charcoal is created by heating wood to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. That is, you take wood and put it in a sealed box of steel or clay and you heat it to about 1, degrees F C.
This process drives off all of the volatile organic compounds and leaves behind the carbon and the minerals ash. When you light the charcoal, what is burning is the pure carbon. It combines with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, and what is left at the end of the fire is the ash -- the minerals.
Coke from coal is the same thing. Coke is coal that has been heated in the absence of oxygen to drive off the organics. The smoke that this process produces is actually very valuable -- it contains coal tar, coal gas, alcohols, formaldehyde and ammonia, among other things. And all of these compounds can be distilled out of the smoke for use. Consequently, prescribed burners cannot blindly depend on the dispersion index alone.
Look at the forecast mixing height, transport winds, and sky conditions. Observe the atmospheric conditions at the burn site as well. Forestry Weather Forecasts. A forestry forecast is made by the National Weather Service and disseminated to the state forestry agencies and national forests. In turn, the states broadcast this forecast over the radio and it can be monitored on the designated frequency. Some States put it on the internet.
Forecasts can also be obtained by calling the nearest district office of the state or federal forestry agency. The National Weather Service has added a continuous weather forecast which is broadcast throughout the state on a designated frequency. Radios which are on the proper frequency for a given area are inexpensive to purchase. Many of these NOAA radios also have an alert system, allowing the weather service to activate transmission, and broadcast information when severe weather thunderstorms, tornados, etc threaten a specific area.
It is possible to add this frequency to two-way radios used by most forest industries. If the forestry forecast is not offered, a special agricultural forecast can be used. It will contain all the needed information except the upper-air soundings for stability, mixing height, and transport winds. Special or spot forecasts are still available by calling the National Weather forecast office.
Observations on Site. Just before the burn During the burn After the burn Observations at the site will provide a ground check on the forecast. During the burn, watch for changes in the wind and behavior of the fire. After the burn, check to see if there are any changes that will determine where your smoke will go. Unstable Conditions. Stable Conditions. Local eddies form in the lee of each tree stem and affect the behavior of surface fires. The circulation around a low-pressure area causes horizontal converging of air at low levels and lifting of air near the center.
For this reason, low-pressure areas usually are areas of cloudiness and precipitation.
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