Smoke from biomass burning events, both large and small, contributes to air quality problems associated with elevated concentrations of particulate matter, ozone, and air toxics. Currently, real-time smoke predictions are via the Blue Sky smoke modeling framework. Blue Sky modularly links computer models of fuel consumption and emissions, fire, weather, and smoke dispersion into a system for predicting the cumulative impacts of smoke from prescribed fires, wild-fires, and agricultural fires. The Blue Sky smoke modeling framework has recently been upgraded in several key ways: satellite data are now incorporated, using the SMARTFIRE system, to provide information on the location and size of fires; the most recent fuel loading, fuel consumption, and emission models have been added; and the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) is being used to predict concentration fields of particulate matter and ozone nationally from both fire and anthropogenic emissions. A general overview of the Blue Sky program and a description of its current features are provided. In particular, we focus on Blue Sky products of interest to the air quality community, such as daily experimental predictions and how the products are being distributed through the BlueSky Gateway web portal.

Smoke from wildland fire is a growing concern as air quality regulations tighten and public acceptance declines. Wildland fire emissions inventories are important not only for understanding air quality impacts from smoke but also in quantifying sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Calculation of wildland fire emissions can be done using a number of models and methods. Under the Smoke and Emissions Model Intercomparison Project, comparisons between different methodologies are being analyzed by examining model-to-model variability. In addition, the relative importance of uncertainties in fire size information, available fuels information, consumption modeling techniques, and emissions factors are being compared. This work highlights the need for accurate fire information that integrates information from multiple datasets. We present a new effort that upgrades the SMARTFIRE-BlueSky Framework, providing constraints on fire information and other errors in the modeling chain, and resulting in an improved wildland fire emissions inventory.

Smoke can manifest itself as a towering plume rising against the clear blue sky—or as a vast swath of thick haze, with fingers that settle into valleys overnight. It comes in many forms and colors, from fluffy and white to thick and black. Smoke plumes can rise high into the atmosphere and travel great distances across oceans and continents. Or smoke can remain close to the ground and follow finescale topographical features.