Call for Papers: International Smoke Symposium
Presented by the International Association of Wildland Fire, in conjunction with National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Smoke Committee and Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP)
October 21-24, 2013 The Marriott Inn & Conference Center, University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland, USA
The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2013
As the extent of global wildland fire and smoke increases, changes in air quality and climate will result in greater threats to human health, ecosystems, and infrastructure in the United States and internationally. The International Smoke Symposium will provide a venue to explore the complex issues surrounding wildland fire and smoke; discuss different management strategies adopted around the world; and identify knowledge gaps within the field of smoke science for future research, innovation, and development.
This symposium will serve as a nexus of interdisciplinary research, management, and policy. Research specialists, managers, and policy makers from non-governmental organizations, government agencies, tribes, and private institutions will be able to discuss and evaluate current practices and the latest research and technological developments that inform decision making and provide a critical sounding board for future research needs and practical solutions to management challenges.
OBJECTIVES
The Symposium will
Create an international forum to discuss complex smoke issues associated with both wildland and agricultural fire.
Identify research gaps and priorities for smoke science and air quality communities to address to meet contemporary challenges.
Increase awareness of ongoing smoke science research for professionals engaged in fire activities, air quality management, resource stewardship, military land-use activities, and emergency services
Create innovative training opportunities for managers and operational professionals through a virtual platform.
Showcase contemporary science and technologies to promote pioneering management and policy strategies.
Raise awareness of the global diversity of approaches, issues, ideas and mitigation strategies in smoke management as they pertain to ecological concerns, social perceptions, and economic issues.
SESSION FORMATS EXPLAINED
Plenary Session: A keynote address to all conference attendees. (These are programmed by the conference steering committee.)
Oral Presentation: Shorter sessions (generally 20 minutes) which are scheduled to take place at the same time (i.e., concurrent). Each session normally focuses on a different topics so an attendee can choose the session that most interests them. (Note: most individual paper submissions are programmed into Concurrent Sessions after they are accepted.)
Poster Presentations: A Poster Session showcases your research/project. It combines text and graphics to make a visually pleasing presentation. There will be a formal poster session where you will show your work to numerous participants at a conference. As viewers walk by, your poster should quickly and efficiently communicate your research/project. Unlike the fast pace of a slide show or verbal presentation, a Poster Session allows viewers to study and restudy your information and discuss it with you one on one. You may also be required to give short presentations on your research every ten or fifteen minutes.
Special Session: A session consisting of multiple presentations with one common topic or theme. Typically, the person who proposes the special session includes a list for all of the papers on the Special Session at the time of the original submission.
Submission Guidelines for Special Sessions: 1st - The session organizer should submit a short abstract for the session as a whole which includes a list of each session and presenter. 2nd - each individual presenter within the Special Session will submit their individual abstracts. When doing this they should select Special Session as the Presentation Type and include a statement at the beginning of their abstract noting which special session they are associated with.
PAPERS SUBMISSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS TOPICS:
This conference welcomes oral, poster and special session submissions from fire, smoke, and air quality applications and examples; including current and recent programs and case studies, lessons learned, data sets, and scientific results, data, and models. The following set of topics represents a comprehensive guideline for potential presenters but submissions are not limited only to these categories; papers outside these areas are welcome and desired.
WILDLAND and AGRICULTURAL FIRE ACTIVITY, SMOKE EMISSIONS and INVENTORY
Emissions factors from wildland and agricultural fire
Smoke emissions as they relate to fire activity, fuels and consumption
Atmospheric chemistry pertinent to smoke management including fine particulate matter and precursor pollutants emitted by fire that contribute to ozone and secondary aerosols
Greenhouse gases, brown and black carbon
Carbon monoxide and air toxic, firefighter and public exposure
Using remote sensing to gain information on smoke emissions
Unmanned aerial instrument platforms for obtaining smoke information
Smoke emissions tracking databases and comparison of methods, with a focus on fire activity
SMOKE AND AIR QUALITY MODELING
Fire behavior modeling for smoke
Uncertainty in smoke modeling
Improving smoke model data sources
Smoke model evaluation and needs
Modeling smoke for regulatory purposes and management programs
Smoke plume rise modeling and transport
Smoke plume chemistry modeling
Measurements of trace gases and aerosols in smoke plumes; near-source and far downwind.
Communicating smoke model results and uncertainties
Minimizing smoke impacts through fire weather and meteorology modeling
Application of smoke and air quality modeling for public health, transportation safety and fire personnel exposure
SMOKE AND POPULATIONS
Health impacts of short and long term exposure to smoke in the public and firefighters, knowledge gaps, science, and management implications
Personal and ambient air quality monitoring of smoke
Public communication with respect to smoke episodes (warnings, air quality indices, risk, health effects)
Public education and outreach about smoke impacts as they relate to fire ecology and ecosystem management
Direct and indirect local and regional social, economic, medical and political costs of smoke from fire
Assessing risk from smoke on human communities, public health, transportation and fire personnel
Social tolerance of smoke and influencing factors
Effects of smoke on transportation (Superfog), response and communication
Effects of smoke on suppression operations
Public communication strategies – needs, methods, preferences, impacts, and effectiveness
Public reaction to smoke warning systems
Public safety and risk from smoke – evacuation, shelter in place, public mitigation approaches
SMOKE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Smoke and fire modeling for understanding impacts on climate
What climate change means for smoke and impacting population centers – agricultural dynamics and impacts; wildfire dynamics; vegetation and fuel dynamics; land management strategies and practices; consequences, mitigation and implications
Smoke and climate system feedbacks
Fire emissions contributions to a changed composition of planetary gases
Short-lived climate forcers and the Arctic -contribution of wildfires, prescribed fires and agricultural burning
SMOKE MANAGEMENT and MITIGATION– POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES
Basic Smoke Management Practices, Smoke Management Programs and Emission Reduction Techniques
Smoke management and mitigation approaches - policies and regulations for nuisance, air quality standards and climate change (Domestic and International)
International smoke management: policy for sensitive receptors outside the country and mitigating sources outside the country
Science and technology support for fire and air quality decision making and management application
Public safety guidelines and implementation
Responding to wildfire smoke – strategies, roles, coordination and planning
Training programs – needs, opportunities, capabilities
Exceptional Events and smoke impacts
Contact Us:
Mikel Robinson
Executive Director
International Association of Wildland Fire
1418 Washburn Street
Missoula, Montana 59801 USA
(01) (406) 531-8264
Toll Free from US & Canada:
(888) 440-IAWF (4293)
execdir@iawfonline.org
