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NHEERL Articles
NHEERL Scientists Assist NCDNR with Sampling Smoke Plumes Emitting from Eastern North Carolina Fires
The Evans Road Fire began on June 1, reportedly, as the result of a lightning strike and, by the time it was 75% contained, burned more than 41,000 acres in the Eastern District of North Carolina. There have been numerous smoke advisories and burn bans throughout the counties of the Eastern District. The N.C. Department of Natural Resources (NCDNR) requested EPA’s assistance in sampling the smoke plume emitting from the wild fires. With less than 1 week’s notice, NHEERL and National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) scientists deployed specialized sampling equipment to two sites in the prevailing plume. Because of summer winds blowing from the southwest, the samplers were deployed near Elizabeth City and Hertford, locations north of the fire near population areas but with minimal mobile source signature affecting the samples. The samples are extracted for toxicity testing (instillation, in vitro, etc.), and the plan involves operating the samplers on a 4-days-on/1-day-off schedule. The samples are used to chemically analyze the smoke plume from this unique peat fire that may smolder for months. Because NCDNR uses a midnight-to-midnight sampling schedule, EPA will do the same for ease of data comparison. The samplers are being serviced by NHEERL Experimental Toxicology Division personnel from its Engineering Team, who make the 300-mile trip every fifth day.