As a smoke coordinator, I am the liaison between all the land managers doing prescribed fire (Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Utah Department of Natural Resources, etc.) and the Utah Division of Air Quality.
Critical thinking and having an efficient record keeping process are both essential. I have to deal with a large amount of data and distill it into what is relevant in order to make a good decision.
I go to large wildfires as an air resource advisor, doing smoke monitoring, modeling, and messaging to the public about how to protect themselves from the health effects of smoke. Smoke in 2020 and 2021 had enormous impacts in the Western United States and beyond. Helping in this way is rewarding.
In the photo, I am using the Vehicle Add-on Mobile Monitoring System (VAMMS) to continuously record smoke levels. This builds an understanding of patterns and exposure to pollution for both fire crews and the public.
The intersection of air quality and wildland fire management will be hugely important in the 21st century.
In 2002 when I worked on a timber crew and everyone else in the office was constantly leaving to help the fire effort.
