Characterization of 2007
Waycross Wildfires
Jeff Dennis
Graduate Student, University of Georgia
Prospective Master’s of Environmental Health
Science


B.S. in Chemistry from Columbus State
University
2nd year Master’s Student in Environmental
Health Science

Dr. Naeher’s Group
Waycross

Characterization of the 2007 Waycross Wildfires
by Using Real-time Monitors

Characterization paper from an emergency
management situation
Background

March 29th, 2007 wildfires broke out in southern
Georgia


Brought about by prolonged drought
April 19th, 2007 Dr. Naeher contacted by the
Southeastern District Health Department for
smoke monitoring

April 21, 2007 UGA smoke monitoring crew arrived in
Waycross for monitoring
Waycross

Monitoring of particulate matter and carbon monoxide

Used to help with emergency operations in the area
Waycross

Primary focus was Health
Dept. needs




Monitoring of schools
Suggestions for public
functions
Daily report of monitoring
Goals


Help decision makers with
data
Try to minimize harm to
the public
Waycross

Objectives
 To characterize the activity of
the smoke in a wildfire
emergency situation


Incorporate particulate matter,
carbon monoxide and wind
data
Show how wind direction
affects the levels of different
constituents of smoke

Two parts of the study


Waycross portion was an
emergency response act
The Fargo study was for
normalizing the DustTrak’s
for the Waycross study
Waycross

Sampling Apparatus

DustTrak Aerosol Monitor

Langan CO monitor

PQ200 Ambient Fine
Particulate Sampler
DustTrak

Measures Particulate
Matter in the air

Can sample different
sizes of particulates

Spectrophotometric
analysis

Measurements are known
to be elevated
Langan

Carbon monoxide monitor

0.1 ppm resolution

Easy to use, durable, and
lightweight
PQ200

EPA federal reference
method

Gold standard

Accurate

Sampling locations

Varied initially

Sampling durations varied

34 data sets

6 days in smoky conditions

5 days at selected locations

1 day co-located for normalization and reduction
purposes
Waycross

Data Analysis
 Fargo normalization and
reduction ratio applied

Basic statistical analysis
 Mean, Standard Deviation,
95% Confidence Interval
 Kernel Smoothing and
Area under Curve

Normalization Method



Median average chosen as
bench
Normalization ratio:
 Bench/DustTrak
Applied to each data set

Reduction Method
 PQ200 gravimetric data
analyzed


Reduction ratio

DustTrak Bench
Gravimetric Ave.
Ratio applied to each data
set
Preliminary Data from Fargo
Preliminary Data from Fargo
Preliminary Data from Fargo
Preliminary Data from Fargo
Statistical Analysis

Kernal smoothing



Used to reduce the variation in
measurement
Allows for easier analysis by
SAS
Area under the Curve


Possibility to incorporate wind
data
Associate wind with increase
in particulate matter
Time
9:29:04
8:16:04
7:03:04
5:50:04
4:37:04
3:24:04
2:11:04
0:58:04
23:45:04
22:32:04
21:19:04
20:06:04
18:53:04
17:40:04
16:27:04
15:14:04
14:01:04
12:48:04
Conc.
Corrected Conc. in micrograms/m^3 for Waycross
Police Station 4/21 to 4/22/2007
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Date: 1 -th day
2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
21APR07:12:00:00
22APR07:00:00:00
Time
22APR07:12:00:00
Date: 1 -th day
Time
9:29:04
8:16:04
7:03:04
5:50:04
4:37:04
3:24:04
2:11:04
0:58:04
23:45:04
22:32:04
21:19:04
20:06:04
18:53:04
17:40:04
16:27:04
15:14:04
14:01:04
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
12:48:04
Conc.
Corrected Conc. in micrograms/m^3 for Waycross
Police Station 4/21 to 4/22/2007
2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
21APR07:12:00:00
22APR07:00:00:00
Time
22APR07:12:00:00
Waycross Data


Next few slides show all the data
collected for a single day and all
locations on that day
Show what exactly we are
working with
Preliminary Data from Waycross
7:
8: 12
9: 12
10 1
2
11 :12
12 :1
2
13 :12
14 :1
2
15 :12
16 :1
2
17 :12
18 :1
2
19 :12
20 :1
2
21 :12
22 :1
2
23 :12
:
0:12
1: 12
2: 12
3: 12
4: 12
5: 12
6: 12
7: 12
8: 12
9: 12
10 12
11 :1
2
12 :12
13 :1
2
14 :12
15 :1
:12
2
ppm
Preliminary Data from Waycross
CO 4-24
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Time
Charlton Co.
Douglas
Ware Co. High
Police
Pierce Co.
Preliminary Data from Waycross
5
350
300
4
250
3
200
150
2
100
1
50
0
0
4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/25/2007 4/25/2007 4/25/2007
7:00
13:00
18:00
23:00
4:00
9:00
14:00
Time
Velocity (m/s)
Wind Direction
Wind Direction and Velocity for 4-24-2007 to 4-25-2007
Wind Direction
wind Velocity
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Time
7:
8: 12
91
10: 12
2
11 :12
12 :1
2
13 :12
14 :1
2
15 :12
16 :1
2
17 :12
18 :1
2
19 :12
20 :1
2
21 :12
22 :1
2
23 :12
:
0: 12
1: 12
2: 12
3: 12
4: 12
5: 12
6: 12
7: 12
8: 12
9 12
10: 12
11 :1
2
12 :12
13 :1
2
14 :12
15 :1
:12
2
ppm
CO 4-24
5
350
300
4
250
3
200
150
2
100
1
50
0
0
4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/24/2007 4/25/2007 4/25/2007 4/25/2007
7:00
13:00
18:00
23:00
4:00
9:00
14:00
Time
Charlton Co.
Douglas
Ware Co. High
Police
Pierce Co.
Velocity (m/s)
Wind Direction
Wind Direction and Velocity for 4-24-2007 to 4-25-2007
Wind Direction
wind Velocity

One location showed an average above the 35 μg/m^3
24 hr average set by the EPA for PM 2.5




Ga. Forestry Commission on 4/25/2008
Staging area for firefighters and close proximity to fire
No location showed an 8 hr average over 9 ppm set
forth by the EPA for carbon monoxide
No location showed a 1 hr average of above 35 ppm set
forth by the EPA for carbon monoxide
Waycross

Characterization paper
 Will include particulate matter,
carbon monoxide, and wind
data
 to show how the smoke
reacts to different
conditions and locations

Will be able to interpret data to
understand
 Smoke from a wildfire for
better public health
awareness
 Actions to reduce public
exposure
Acknowledgements





Dr. Luke Naeher
Jeff Garnett
Dr. Trina VanWaldner
Southeastern Georgia Health
Department
Adam Gray
Questions, Comments?