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Photo: Blue Oak Ranch Reserve/Zac Harlow
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UC Field Research Safety
Huge accolades to the fire crews, reserve managers, and stewards that protected structures as fire burned through seven UC properties last week. See reports below. Many are still evacuated, or coping with loss and uncertainty, but news on fire containment is generally positive. Air quality remains unhealthy in many parts of the State and of course our dry season will continue into the Fall; so this newsletter is focused on preparedness, wildfire smoke, and hazards during cleanup work. As always, please contact me directly at sarasouza@berkeley.edu with any questions or concerns. Best, Sara
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UCSC Campus Evacuated: Updates & Information on Wildfires
Wildfires burn six UC Natural Reserves; seventh threatened: UC Natural Reserve System News, August 24
Marine mammals show off their training in evacuation from Long Marine Lab, UCSC News, August 24
UC's Lick Observatory threatened by wildfire: Residences on Mt. Hamilton sustained some damage, but fire crews have so far been able to protect the observatory’s telescope domes and visitor center, August 20. See dramatic time-lapse video posted by UC Observatories:
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Wildfires: The University Responds (UC Davis News, August 25)
UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Total Animals Treated in the Field: 1,040+
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Wildfire precautions are critical, and the Governor's Office recommended that everyone take three steps to prepare: 1) Sign up for County Alerts via calalerts.org/signup.html 2) Prepare your family and home for evacuation ahead of time and 3) Remove dead plants and dry leaves from within 30 feet of your home. This 13 minute video from the NFPA highlights important actions you can take to prepare a structure to be more resilient, with demonstrations from a fire science test site. Please take a few minutes to watch:
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Local air quality can change rapidly during wildfire smoke events. Exposure to wildfire smoke is considered unhealthy when the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) exceeds 150. To determine if local air pollution is from wildfire smoke, you can check the Fire and Smoke Map available at https://fire.airnow.gov/, use the USFS modeling tool BlueSky; download the U.S. EPA’s AirNow app, or sign up to receive air quality alerts via the EnviroFlash website. Additional information on active fires in California can be found here: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/.
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Reference Monitors: View at AirNow.gov or your local air district (eg BAAQMD for the SF Bay Area). Current AQI referred to as the “NowCast,” is reported for PM2.5, the primary air pollutant of health concern during regional wildfire smoke events. The EPA's AQI Calculator may be used to convert PM2.5 concentrations in ug/m3 to AQI.
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Low-cost optical sensors are valuable for spatial trends and indoor/outdoor comparison
Low-cost sensors that count particles in air provide supplemental environmental data. It's important to recognize these sensors are not maintained and calibrated like reference monitors and may be less accurate; thus should not be utilized independently of other data sources for decision-making. However, these sensors are extremely valuable to view spatial trends over a region or community. Note: PM2.5 concentrations may report high during wildfire events due to the composition of wildfire smoke having particulates of lower density than dust. Also -- one minute or 10 minute readings will fluctuate more than results averaged over longer time periods like the EPA's NowCast algorithm.
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Clarity Sensors: openmap.clarity.io
As part of a pilot project to evaluate local conditions, multiple PM2.5 sensors including some solar-powered sensors have been installed at many UC campuses and locations. Outdoor concentrations are reported using the EPA NowCast algorithm for PM2.5 and may be co-displayed with nearby AirNow data on the same map/plot.
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PurpleAir Sensors: Widespread citizen science, data viewable at purpleair.com Distribution across public spaces, businesses, and private homes makes this network valuable for comparing neighborhoods and regions. For better comparison to reference monitors, in the map settings disable indoor sensors and set reporting time to one hour, or more conservatively to one day and consider using a wildfire smoke conversion; or view NowCast AQI via https://fire.airnow.gov/.
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Training Resource: Wildfire Smoke Protection & N95 Use
Includes requirements mandated by Cal/OSHA when the AQI exceeds the red "unhealthy" level of 150 due to wildfire smoke, available at https://training.ucr.edu/courses#wildfire_smoke. Note: This is a UC systemwide document, please check with your campus EH&S office for local training options.
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Notes on wildfire smoke and COVID-19
Set up a cleaner air shelter at home rather than congregating in crowded places. Limit outdoor excercise during periods of unhealthy air quality. If you must be outside, carry personal medications such as an inhaler. Cloth masks will not protect you from wildfire smoke. Learn more, including a DIY box filter fan design (CDC publication).
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Hazards during Cleanup Work
Appendix E (5 pages) of Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials includes important safety measures relevant to burnt and unstable structures, trees; smoke and ash, carbon monoxide and use of generators and other fuel-powered equipment; hazardous materials; confined spaces; electrical dangers; fatigue, heat stress; and muscoloskeletal injuries. Please consult with your EH&S office prior to working in burned areas to develop a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) or safety plan.
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Upcoming (Virtual) Meetings
UC Global Operations Meeting, September 8-18, more info
Wilderness Risk Management Conference, October 19-23, more info
NASEM Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment 2020, October 12-20, more info
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A fascinating listen: Radiolab Dispatch from 1918. And last, a sign of the times, a new sticker for my mug. Glad to do my little part.
Take care out there, Sara
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