DATE: November 17, 2016 TO: SJVUAPCD Governing Board
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
GOVERNING BOARD Oliver L. Baines III, Chair Councilmember, City of Fresno Buddy Mendes, Vice Chair Supervisor, Fresno County DATE: November 17, 2016 David Ayers Councilmember, City of Hanford TO: SJVUAPCD Governing Board Dennis Brazil Mayor, City of FROM: Seyed Sadredin, Executive Director/APCO John Capitman, Ph.D. Project Coordinator: Sheraz Gill Appointed by Governor David Couch RE: ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE Supervisor, Kern County SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS Bob Elliott Supervisor, San Joaquin County Virginia R. Gurrola RECOMMENDATION: Councilmember, City of Porterville Harold Hanson Receive a report on the 2016 wildfire season and associated impacts Councilmember, City of Bakersfield on the Valley’s air quality. William O’Brien Supervisor, Stanislaus County Craig Pedersen BACKGROUND: Supervisor, Kings County Alexander C. Sherriffs, M.D. The continued drought conditions currently being experienced in the Appointed by Governor San Joaquin Valley and across the western United States has led to a Hub Walsh number of conditions that have exacerbated the Valley’s air quality Supervisor, Merced County challenge. Air pollution generated from wildfires is enormous and can Tom Wheeler Supervisor, Madera County well exceed total industrial and mobile source emissions in the San Joaquin Valley, overwhelming all control measures and resulting in J. Steven Worthley Supervisor, Tulare County periods of excessively high particulate matter and ozone concentrations. Due to the excessively dry conditions, the buildup of combustible materials, and the mortality of millions of trees from the Seyed Sadredin drought and bark beetle infestation, the region has experienced a Executive Director Air Pollution Control Officer number of large wildfires and California has reached an all-time high for fire danger. The 2016 fire season experienced a number of large Northern Region Office fires across the region, some of which have directly impacted the 4800 Enterprise Way Modesto, CA 95356-8718 Valley’s air quality and health of Valley residents, as detailed below. (209) 557-6400 • FAX (209) 557-6475 Central Region Office 1990 East Gettysburg Avenue DISCUSSION: Fresno, CA 93726-0244 (559) 230-6000 • FAX (559) 230-6061 Wildfires have the potential to generate tremendous emissions, depending on the acreage burned, fuel loading, fuel moisture content, Southern Region Office 34946 Flyover Court and fuel type. The length of time it takes for these emissions to occur Bakersfield, CA 93308-9725 (661) 392-5500 • FAX (661) 392-5585 depends on the severity of the wildfire. In addition to causing elevated PM2.5 concentrations, wildfires also generate and transport ozone www.valleyair.org SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 precursors, which can elevate ozone concentrations in affected areas as a result. When wildfire emissions are combined with the Valley’s common summertime high temperatures and stagnant conditions, the potential for the production of peak ground level ozone is increased. In fact, the highest ozone readings during the 2016 ozone season coincided with a time of smoke impacts on the Valley floor from the fires in the region. During severe wildfire impact situations, the District strives to provide timely information to Valley residents to minimize exposure to potentially dangerous concentrations of wildfire smoke. The District’s state of the art Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) serves to inform Valley residents about local air quality conditions. RAAN notifications are particularly important when wildfire plumes enter the Valley and elevate ozone and PM2.5 levels to particularly dangerous levels. During this wildfire season, these notifications have been utilized by schools and the public in order to curtail outdoor activities during high pollution/smoke episodes. Anticipating the public’s need for additional information regarding the wildfires, the District created a wildfire information website that serves as a clearinghouse for updated fire and air quality information from various sources (http://valleyair.org/wildfires.htm). Impact of 2016 Wildfire Season on Valley Air Quality This summer, multiple large wildfires impacted the Valley’s air quality. The 2016 wildfire season has brought more wildfires across California compared to last year and the 5 year average through the same time period, as the following table displays. Table 1 - Number of Wildfire Occurrences in California through October 29 Timeframe Fires January 1 through October 29, 2016 5,585 January 1 through October 29, 2015 4,825 5 Year Average (same interval) 4,412 Source: CAL FIRE The Sand Fire in Los Angeles County started on July 22, 2016 and burned 41,432 acres before containment was reached on August 3, 2016. Smoke from this fire drifted over the Tehachapi Mountains and into the southern San Joaquin Valley where it increased PM2.5 concentrations, produced haze, and delivered precursors that contributed to elevated ozone levels in the southern Valley. Light ash fall was also reported in the Bakersfield area on July 25th. 2 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 Figure 1 - Sand Fire in Los Angeles County In Monterey County, the Soberanes Fire started on July 24, 2016 and burned nearly 132,000 acres before containment was reached on October 15, 2016. Southwesterly and westerly wind flow carried smoke from the Soberanes Fire into the northern and west central San Joaquin Valley where it diffused and spread across the entire Valley. As a result, PM2.5 concentrations were much higher than normal summertime conditions across much of the Valley. Areas of the Valley experienced 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations in the 20-50 µg/m3 range, when normal summertime concentrations are in the single digits. Hourly PM2.5 concentrations in western Fresno County exceeded 140 µg/m3 during peak impacts from this fire. Smoke from this wildfire not only increased PM2.5 concentrations, it also produced significant haze and delivered precursors that contributed to elevated ozone levels throughout the Valley. 3 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 Figure 2 - Soberanes Fire in Monterey County Figure 3 - Soberanes and Sand Fires Impacting Regional Air Quality 4 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 Figure 4 - Satellite Image of Smoke from the Soberanes Fire over the San Joaquin Valley on July 31, 2016 The Cedar Fire in Kern County started on July 22, 2016 and burned 29,322 acres before containment was reached on September 30, 2016. Smoke from this fire drifted over the central and southern San Joaquin Valley where it increased PM2.5 concentrations, produced haze, and delivered precursors that contributed to elevated ozone levels in the southern Valley. Figure 5 - Cedar Fire in Kern County 5 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 In addition, another fire, the Goose Fire, broke out on July 30, 2016 in Fresno County and grew to a size of 2,241 acres before being fully contained. Smoke impacts from this fire were mainly confined to the foothills and affected the town of Oakhurst and other communities near the incident. Figure 6 - Goose Fire in Fresno County Figure 7 - Smoke Impacts from the Soberanes and Goose Wildfires 6 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 The Chimney Fire in San Luis Obispo County started on August 13, 2016 and burned 46,344 acres before containment was reached on September 6, 2016. Smoke from this fire drifted over the central and southern San Joaquin Valley where it increased PM2.5 concentrations, produced haze, and delivered precursors that contributed to elevated ozone levels in the Valley. Figure 8 - Chimney Fire in San Luis Obispo County The Canyon Fire in Santa Barbara County started on September 17, 2016 and burned 12,518 acres before containment was reached on September 27, 2016. Smoke from this fire drifted over the central and southern San Joaquin Valley where it increased PM2.5 concentrations, produced haze, and delivered precursors that contributed to elevated ozone levels in the Valley. Figure 9 - Canyon Fire in Santa Barbara County 7 SJVUAPCD Governing Board ITEM NUMBER 9: REPORT ON 2016 WILDFIRE SEASON AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS November 17, 2016 The Sacata Fire in Fresno County started on October 11, 2016 and burned 2,100 acres before containment was reached on October 24, 2016. Smoke from this fire drifted over the central San Joaquin Valley where it increased PM2.5 concentrations and produced haze. Figure 10 - Sacata Fire in Fresno County The District has flagged air quality data that has been impacted by wildfire emissions from this summer as Exceptional Events and will prepare documentation to request that this data be removed from the official dataset for the purpose of determining the Valley’s attainment status. Enhanced Strategies in Support of Prescribed Burning In November 2015, your Board directed staff to pursue additional strategies for reducing fuel buildup as a means of reducing wildfire emissions, including identifying ways to facilitate the more effective use of prescribed burning and other practices as means to reduce the number and severity of future wildfires, supporting federal and