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Fire Workgroup

Contents [hide]

Collaborative Wiki Main Page

Inventory Collaborative Google Drive Link

Members

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Coordination Committee Meetings

April 4, 2019

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Roll call
  • EPA Emissions Inventory Conference in Dallas on July 29 - August 2, 2019
  • Action Items from last call
    • Provide 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
    • Provide New Jersey fire information for use 2016v1 (NJ)
      • Received; hope to implement in 2016v1
  • Future-year alternative fire scenarios presentation (Mavko, Moore)
    • Discussion
  • Update on 2016v1 plan (Vukovich)
  • Next call is on

March 7, 2019

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Roll call
  • EPA Emissions Inventory Conference in Dallas on July 29 - August 2, 2019
  • Briefly review Action Items from last call
    • Provided 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
    • Update on timing for New Jersey fire information for use 2016v1 (NJ)
  • Pre-version 1 Smartfire-Bluesky run planned for late March-early April
    • Need time to review all of the impacts of the new input data
    • Workgroup Plans (pdf)
  • Summary of other N. American fires used in regional modeling domains (Canada/Mexico) for 2016 (Vukovich)
  • Next call is April 4, 2019 1PM ET, 11AM MT
    • Agenda for this call will include alternative future-year fire scenarios ppt and discussion

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call
  • Reviewed last call's action items
    • Fire/Biomass Burning session at EPA's EIC needs a co-chair
    • Fill out optional survey on EPA EIC desired training
    • New Jersey fire activity for 2016 coming real soon
  • Pre-v1 Smartfire-Bluesky planned to start late March or early April
  • A summary of 2016 fire season for Canada and Mexico was presented
    • GA DNR suggested examining other global inventories (e.g. GFED)

Action Items

  • Provide 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
  • Provide New Jersey fire information for use 2016v1 (NJ)
  • Future-year alternative fire scenarios discussion? (Moore, others?)

February 7, 2019

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call
  • Reviewed last call's action items
  • 2016 beta inventory data and summaries/reports now available
  • 2016 beta documentation will be made available to the workgroup around Feb 15th timeframe
  • FACTS fire information database contains prescribed burns only according to USFS
    • FACTS will be in used in 2016v1 development
    • Randy Strait mentioned that some latitude-longitude coordinates only have two decimal places and may not be accurate enough for use
  • NFPORS fire information will also be used in 2016v1 development and it also contains USFWS fire information
  • New Jersey has indicated it will submit some 2016 fire activity data for use in 2016v1

Action Items

  • Provide 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
  • Provide New Jersey fire information for use 2016v1 (NJ)
  • Provide a summary of international fires used in regional modeling domains (Canada/Mexico) for 2016 (Vukovich)
  • Future-year alternative fire scenarios discussion? (Moore, others?)

December 6, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call
  • Review of previous action items
    • T. Moore may be able to update at next call on Rx fire problem statement doc
  • J Vukovich went over the 2016beta last minute change involved the national fire info dataset called MTBS.
    • Please see pdf listed in agenda
    • Future work with more national fire info datasets mentioned
    • P Corrigan (UT/Forest Service) mentioned he has input on these national datasets
    • 2016 beta fire inventories released and available (see link in Agenda)
  • 2016beta documentation: hope to make progress before next call
  • No future-year fire scenarios discussed

Action Items

  • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software and fire information databases (EPA, others)
  • Continue to work on 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
  • P. Corrigan to provide input on national fire info datasets
  • Future-year alternative fire scenarios discussion? (Moore, others?)

November 1, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Roll call
  • Briefly review Action Items from last call
    • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
    • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software and fire information databases (EPA, others)
      • Communicated with AIRFIRE team that we have 2016 beta data they can test with latest BlueSky software
    • Follow-up with M. Mavko on what could be done to use NFEI tool with 2016 data (Vukovich, Moore, Mavko)
      • Provided data to Matt that may allow him to use NFEI tool for 2016
    • Follow-up on NCDENR submitted vs. draft 2016 beta acres burned differences (EPA)
  • Provide more beta emissions reports to workgroup (Vukovich)
  • Actual inventory files to be made available very soon!
  • Final summary of 2016beta inventory (pdf)
  • Continue to work on 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
  • Next Call December 6th at 1PM ET, 11AM MT

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call
  • Review of previous action items
    • USFS AIRFIRE communication continuing
    • Matt Mavko has the necessary 2016 beta data to try to use the NFEI tool
    • EPA will followup with NCDENR after call about path for 2016v1
  • Summary of 2016 beta inventory discussed and reports provided
    • Urban fuel category discussion
    • Possible improvements for 2016v1 discussion

Action Items

  • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software and fire information databases (EPA, others)
  • Provide more beta emissions reports to workgroup (Vukovich)
  • Follow-up on NCDENR on plan for 2016v1 (EPA)
  • Finalize 2016 beta emissions inventory (ALL)
  • Continue to work on 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)

October 4, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call
  • Review of previous action items
  • Summary of draft 2016 beta inventory discussed and initial reports provided
  • Trent Wickman requested a report in a format he provided previously for 2016 alpha
  • Randy Strait mentioned that state-submitted data for beta version didn't match up as far as acres burned
  • Draft outline of 2016 beta documentation discussed
  • Matt Mavko shared the Fire Evaluation tool (NFEI tool)

Action Items

  • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software and fire information databases (EPA, others)
  • Provide more beta emissions reports to workgroup (Vukovich)
  • Follow-up on NCDENR submitted vs. draft 2016 beta acres burned differences (EPA)
  • Finalize 2016 beta emissions inventory (ALL)
  • Continue to work on 2016 beta documentation (Co-leaders, others)
  • Follow-up with M. Mavko on what could be done to use NFEI tool with 2016 data (Vukovich, Moore, Mavko)

September 6, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Roll call
  • Briefly review Action Items from last call
  • Plan for 2016 beta version fires(pdf)(dated Sep 6, 2018)
    • Summarize data received from states, tribes and other government agencies
    • Other fire information to be used
    • Fuel-bed information updated
  • Technical documentation for beta version discussion (Tom Moore)
  • Beta Schedule
    • Week of Sept 24th: Draft beta version available for QA
    • Oct 04: Another workgroup call; early draft beta QA findings; tech doc progress update
    • October: More QA and work on tech doc for beta version
    • Nov 01: Another workgroup call and release beta version and tech doc
  • Next Meeting Oct 4 1PM ET, 11AM MT

Minutes/Notes

  • Prescribed Burn Problem statement discussion
    • More states want to contribute
  • Discussion on need for Ag burning documentation
    • Pouliot has published paper
    • Will include for beta documentation
  • Summary of changes to inventory input for 2016 beta presented
    • More information on NASF and Landfire v1.4 desired
    • HAPS discussion: why is this needed?
    • Ag burn plan for 2017NEI discussion

Action Items

  • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software and fire information databases (EPA, others)
  • Provide draft beta emissions to workgroup (Vukovich)
  • Prepare outline for technical documentation (Moore)

August 2, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

Minutes/Notes

  • Activity/emissions updates for beta version due Aug 17th
  • EPA meeting with USFS AIRFIRE via conference call very soon
  • Amara Holder presented updates on PM emissions factors and speciation from EPA-ORD research efforts
    • PM2.5 emissions would increase based on these initial lab results
    • MN peat moss/other fuels lab burns delayed; may begin in September
    • Black Carbon impacts discussed by group
  • Trent Wickman, USFS, presented his QA of MN fires
    • See spreadsheet
    • 7 prescribed fires should be ag fires
    • Acreage differences hint at other federal databases missing
      • EPA: only databases being used thus far in alpha version are the ICS209 reports, GeoMAC shapefiles and HMS fire detects
  • Technical documentation of beta version to be moved to next month discussion
  • Reviewed upcoming schedule and discussed

Action Items

  • Please continue to review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • States/tribes/others need to submit inventory/activity changes for beta version by Aug 17th (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software (EPA, others)
  • Investigate possibility of including other federal databases (e.g. USFS FACTS) in future versions of 2016 inventory (Vukovich, Rao)
  • Post ICS-209 Acess file

  • Next call September 6th, 1PM ET, 11AM MT

July 12, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Roll call
  • Briefly review Action Items from last call
  • Major Grassland fires in OK and KS update
  • States submitting specific data for beta version
    • Kansas: recommended changes to prescribed and agricultural fires; EPA designing approach to use this
    • Georgia: total replacement of all fire type inventories (in progress)
    • Others that plan to submit??
    • Ag burns for 2014NEI consists of annual-county emissions; do some states want to use this inventory for ag burns?
    • Need your data by Friday Aug 17th for implementation into beta version
    • Punchlist of improvements for beta version can be found here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xkVMmlNyqEmMjRtHOMW9_e_WTRAONeQ4Ceif4zmB7CA
  • Follow-up with USFS and AIRFIRE team to get more information on the accessibility of the new Blue Sky modules
    • some progress but doubtful in time for beta version; maybe for 2016 version 1

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call and review of last call's minutes/action items
  • Tom Moore presented his outline of the prescribed burning database problem statement
  • Jeff Vukovich presented results from a SmartFire2 sensitivity that moved a subset of grassland fires from EPA Pouliot ag/grass method pathway to SF2 pathway
    • Double-counting was eliminated
    • Improved temporal allocation of acres burned for these 2 major wild grassland fires were seen
    • Recommendation was to move all grassland fires from EPA Pouliot method pathway to the SF2/BlueSky pathway
      • States can make different recommendation for their own state if desired
    • Group mentioned it would be good to track these grassland detects and possible assign a different SCC to these fires
  • States are progressing with inventory changes for the beta version
    • GA, KS are submitting changes
    • WA and ID will be submitting changes; Nez Perce tribe changes likely coming too
    • USFS (Trent Wickman) will be providing QA feedback soon
    • Need your data by Friday Aug 17th for implementation into beta version
  • Punchlist of improvements for beta version can be found here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xkVMmlNyqEmMjRtHOMW9_e_WTRAONeQ4Ceif4zmB7CA
  • Continued efforts are being made to follow-up with USFS and AIRFIRE team to get more information on the accessibility of the new Blue Sky modules
    • some progress but doubtful in time for beta version; maybe for 2016 version 1
  • Next workgroup conference call scheduled for Thursday Aug 2, 2018 at 1PM ET, 11AM MT

Action Items

  • Please review Tom Moore's outline of the prescribed burn problem statement (ALL)
  • States/tribes/others need to submit inventory/activity changes for beta version by Aug 17th (ALL)
  • Additional feedback with regard to moving all grassland fires to the SmartFire2/Bluesky pathway (ALL)
  • Continue efforts to meet with USFS AIRFIRE team about updates to software (EPA, others)

June 7, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

Minutes/Notes

  • Next call will be July 12 at 1PM ET (it would usually be 7/5 but moved due to holiday)
  • CARB and WRAP QA presentations shown and discussed
    • Further QA of Soberanes acres burned needed
    • Named event totals can be impacted by SmartFire2 settings; don't get too caught up in differences but good to QA this for major fires
  • Generic form for submitting data for 2016 inventory updates (2016 beta and 2016v1) was shown and briefly discussed
  • Workgroup members encouraged to edit/add to punchlist document for 2016 beta
  • More discussion regarding getting USFS AIRFIRE team more involved and knowing more about the possible release of new BlueSky modules
    • Farren indicated that he would contact Susan O'Neil about this
    • Trent Wickman requested the SF2/BSky output data so he could do some QA
    • Other possible federal databases used in NEI year inventories were discussed
    • Performing retro analysis for a historic year with new modules is very much needed; is AIRFIRE doing this or only in forecasts mode?
  • Problem statement idea for prescribed burning database suggested by Tom Moore
    • Problem centers around getting a good consistent prescribed burning database organized
      • Challenges include cloud cover impacting satellite detection methods, pile burns, permiting, not knowing exact day prescribe fire actually occurred (or if it occurred at all?), etc.
      • Tom Moore with draft an outline of problem statement

Action Items

  • Further QA the Soberanes fire in CA for acres burned vs. observed/CARB totals (Vukovich)
  • States/local/tribes/MJOs have form to submit specific changes/data for their region for implementation in beta (and/or v1) of 2016 inventory (ALL)
  • All workgroup members encouraged to add/edit punchlist/wishlist document for 2016 inventory changes for beta version (ALL)
  • Follow-up with USFS and AIRFIRE team to get more information on the accessibility of the new Blue Sky modules (Herron-Thorpe, Vukovich, Rao)
  • Provide SF2/Bsky output data to Trent Wickman and rest of workgroup (Vukovich)
  • Draft an outline for prescribed burning database problem statement (Moore)

May 9, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Next call: Thursday June 7th at 1PM ET

Minutes/Notes

  • States should review ag/grassland fire reports if possible
  • Must include HAPS emissions for beta and version 1
  • Workgroup charge document finalized
  • Temporal and speciation profiles currently being used in modeling platform for fires were reviewed
  • Speciation profiles presentation given by Tesh Rao (EPA): see Agenda ppt
  • Klaus Scott provided QA ppt for CA fires
    • Acres burned off by a factor of two or more in most cases
    • Investigation needed into this

Action Items

  • If possible, states should review ag/grassland fire reports provided (ALL)
  • If states have feedback on temporal and speciation profiles, please provide this ASAP (ALL)
  • Post form to submit changes to fire inventory for beta version (Vukovich,Rao)
  • Examine why differences in acres burned based on CARB presentation (Vukovich)
  • Make current punchlist/wish-list for beta version document available to group (Vukovich)

April 5, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • State review/feedback/plans thus far (brief summary)

  • Next call: Thursday May 3rd at 1PM ET

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call completed
  • Briefly went over Action Items from minutes from March call
  • Vukovich went over Fire Classification overview for Ag, Grassland and Rx fires (see presentation in Agenda)
    • CARB mentioned that finding the ICS-209 reports on the FAMWEB site can be challenging
      • Presentation has link to ICS-209 reports for others to download
    • Concerns about lack of Federal land fire info were mentioned
  • State feedback discussion
    • Washington state
      • Has reviewed Grassland/Pasture fires and have concern with CDL database in some cases
      • Will be moving some Rx fires to Ag burn category for 2016
      • Suggested the use of a national and state park lands shapefile for further QA of ag/grassland detects and perhaps it has other uses
      • In 2014 analysis, Ag burns were underestimated in NEI2014 by factor of 3; did submit some burn data to nonpoint sector for NEI2014
    • Idaho mentioned that they will likely be submitting ag burn data for 2016
      • data will be day-specific with latitude-longitude information
      • Vukovich mentioned some of the possible drawbacks of submitting county data on annual temporal resolution
      • If states can submit data on monthly temporal resolution that would be good too, but day-specific and lat-lon info the best case
    • Georgia
      • Will be submitting their own fire inventory for year 2016
      • Includes wildfire and prescribed fire emissions (smoldering and flaming separated), acres burned and heat flux info and ag detect info
      • Will compare their 2016 inventory vs. 2016 alpha
      • Georgia willing to share NEI2014 document on their inventory generation process; will post to Google Drive
      • Asked whether HAPs emissions needed
          • Tom Moore mentioned that overall 2016 Collaborative WG leaders have indicated that HAPs is desired for beta version
    • North Carolina
      • Rx acres burned much higher in 2016 alpha inventory vs. NC fire databases; see presentation
      • Showed Fort Bragg case study and plan to submit better activity data for year 2016
  • USFS (Wickman) mentioned that Federal lands fire database helps with improving fire inventories
    • Workgroup will include working on getting access to these database(s) as part of discussions with AIRFIRE team
    • NCDAQ mentioned they tried to access this Federal database unsuccessfully
  • Daily and Event-based emissions reports now available; see agenda for links or goto QA folder on Google Drive
    • If more QA reports needed, please let co-leads know
  • Punchlist or wish list of desired updates for beta version discussed
    • a Google doc will be started with all in the group encourage to add to the list now and in the future
  • Temporal and Speciation profile presentation moved to next month
  • Charge document closure needed
    • Send all comments on the charge document to co-leads by Friday April 13
  • Next call is May 3rd 1PM ET

Action Items

  • Ag burn QA reports generated for WG (Vukovich)
  • Continued to communicate with AIRFIRE team about assistance regarding BSky modules and input data (Co-leads and Rao)
  • State continue to review alpha inventory and report findings (ALL)
  • Start punchlist/wishlist document for improvements to beta version (Vukovich)
  • Finalized Workgroup charge document by Friday April 13(ALL)
  • Post GA's NEI2014 fire inventory documentation (GA, EPA)
  • Inquire about need for HAPs in beta version (Co-leads)
  • Investigate use of a national/state park lands shapefile for QA of alpha inventory (EPA, WA)

March 1, 2018

Attendees

Co-leads: Jeff Vukovich (USEPA), Tom Moore (WRAP)

Agenda

  • Introductions, roll call – name, daily job responsibilities with respect to fire and smoke issues, agency
    • set up regular meeting times for workgroup
      • suggest first Thursday of month at 1PM ET (like today)
      • build agenda for monthly calls based on a 60-min. duration

Minutes/Notes

  • Roll call taken and members given opportunity to briefly explain their daily job activities as it relates to fire inventories/modeling
  • Group will have a call once a month on first Thursday at 1PM ET
  • Overall Collaboration mission was described and wiki pages introduced for more information
  • Reviewed Draft Fires Workgroup charge document
  • Introduced the Fire Workgroup wiki webpage and Google Drive folder
  • Briefly covered the Wildland fires tech memo for the Alpha version of the 2016 fire inventory
    • Question by Farren Herron-Thorpe: Will this workgroup work on international fire inventories as well? (Canada and Mexico)
    • Klaus Scott mentioned that CARB may have plans to QA the ag burns and prescribed fires in CA
    • Trent Wickman: would like to compare 2011 and 2014 prescribed fires vs. the alpha version 2016 fires especially for Midwest region
    • Group should consider including pile burns in future versions if possible
  • Other QA products already available were introduced/shared
    • Concern on how much time workgroup members have to QA fires
    • List of information about top fires in nation for 2016 needed
  • Brief discussion on emissions modeling platform issues (speciation, hourly profile, plume-rise)

Action Items

  • All possible workgroup members review Draft Fire Workgroup Charge document (dated March 1, 2018)
  • All possible workgroup members review Wildland fires technical memo for Alpha version of 2016 fire inventory (dated Feb 22, 2018)
  • All possible workgroup members review the QA products/maps for the alpha version of the fire inventory (in QA folder on Google Drive)
  • All possible workgroup members review the alpha version fire inventory in SMOKE format
  • All workgroup members provided a list of desired QA products for fire inventories/model platform development
  • Develop list of information (emissions, acres-burned) of top fires in nation in 2016 from alpha version of inventory (USEPA, Vukovich)
  • Contact and invite AIRFIRE team to provide more information on how to obtain Bluesky module updates during future workgroup call (USEPA, Rao and Vukovich)
  • Develop technical memo describing the current approach for handling fire emissions modeling temporal, speciation and vertical allocation issues at EPA (USEPA, Vukovich)

  • Agenda items for future calls
    • Closure on Charge doc
    • Milestones for Fire Workgroup
    • “stable” modules and complete activity data for using BlueSky framework to prepare historic and future projection fire EIs
    • Discussion on how to define scope and desired improvements for beta version of 2016 fire inventory
    • Key parameterizations of fire activity data (consumption, fuel loadings, acres and piles, plume rise, speciation profiles, others)
    • Estimating future fire emissions to bound air quality planning projections