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08-1-6-10
2008
10/01/2008
09/28/2012
Creation of a Smoke and Emissions Model Intercomparison Project (SEMIP) and Evaluation of Current Models
Fire emissions and smoke impacts from wildland fire are a growing concern due to increasing fire season severity, dwindling tolerance of smoke by the public, tightening air quality regulations, and their role in climate change issues. Unfortunately, as identified in JFSP RFA 2008-01 Task 6, while a number of models and modeling system solutions are available to address these issues, a ?lack of quantitative information on the limitations of smoke and emissions models impedes the use of these tools for real-world applications.?
We propose to directly address this critical issue by (1) creating an ongoing, open-access Smoke Emissions Model Intercomparison Project (SEMIP) and (2) completing (with the collaboration of other researchers and stakeholders) a first round of SEMIP model-to-model intercomparisons and model-to-observations performance assessments for 22 component models. The results will be translated into user guidance as instructions, reports, interactive websites, and training sessions that allow managers to apply the findings to their specific task.
The SEMIP study plan and protocols will be developed in association with the larger scientific and management communities through the creation of a Scientific Advisory Board and Governing Board. They will provide an open standard for the evaluation of fire emissions and smoke transport models, as well as component models used by these systems. The protocols will specify open criteria for inclusion, a standard set of case studies, and standard performance metrics. The SEMIP study plan and protocols will be submitted for approval to the JFSP board in Year 1 of the project. Upon approval, extensive work will gather the observational data for the test cases, conduct the first phase of comparisons and evaluations, and translate the results into user guidance.
Fire managers and air quality regulators will directly benefit from the project results, which will outline model strengths and weaknesses and provide guidance on using model results for specific applications. In this way, SEMIP will directly address an overriding issue concerning fire emissions and smoke impacts assessments
Narasimhan K. Larkin
Forest Service
PNW-AirFire Research Team

Other Project Collaborators

Other Project Collaborators

Type

Name

Agency/Organization

Branch or Dept

Co-Principal Investigator

Neil J. Wheeler

Atmospheric Sciences International

Co-Principal Investigator

Sean Raffuse

University of California-Davis

Crocker Nuclear Laboratory

Co-Principal Investigator

Tara M. Strand

NZ Crown Research Institute (Scion)

Federal Cooperator

Brian E. Potter

Forest Service

PNW-Seattle-Managing Natural Disturbances

Project Locations

Project Locations

Fire Science Exchange Network

Alaska

Appalachian

California

Great Basin

Great Plains

Lake States

Northern Rockies

Northwest

Oak Woodlands

Pacific

South

Southern Rockies

Southwest

Tallgrass

Level

State

Agency

Unit

STATE

ID

MULTIPLE

STATE

CA

MULTIPLE

REGIONAL

United States

MULTIPLE

Final Report

Project Deliverables

Title
 
Analysis of Meteorological Conditions for the Yakima Smoke Intrusion Case Study, 28 September 2009View
Developing an Improved Wildland Fire Emissions InventoryView
Development of the 2008 Wildland Fire National Emissions InventoryView
Analysis of Meteorological Conditions for the Yakima Smoke Intrusion Case Study, 28 September 2009View
Phase 1 of the Smoke and Emissions Model Intercomparison Project (SEMIP): Test Cases, Methods, and Analysis ResultsView
Project website showing project plan, steps, current status, and more.View
Website allowing user to browse analysis maps, query model data, and explore model intercomparisons.View
Comparing Fire Size, Fuels, Consumption, and Smoke Emissions Estimates: A Case Study Using the 2006 Tripod WildfireView
An Evaluation of Modeled Plume Injection Height with Satellite-Derived Observed Plume HeightView
Analyses of BlueSky Gateway PM2.5 Predictions During the 2007 Southern and 2008 Northern California FiresView
Smoke and Emissions Model Intercomparison Project (SEMIP)View
Merging Satellite-Detected Wildfire Information with Ground Reports for Improved Fire and Smoke Modeling in Emergency ResponseView
Uncertainties in Fuel Loading and Fire Consumption Calculations and the Smoke and Emissions Model Intercomparison ProjectView
The BlueSky Modeling Framework: Recent Developments and ToolsView
Uncertainties in Wildland Fire Emissions (And Trying to Fix Them)View

Supporting Documents