Boulder Fire Department Smoke Impact Study
Objective
To use transport and diffusion (T&D) models to determine the impact on the nearby community of smoke released from a proposed Boulder Fire Department training facility.
Description
The effort defined the potential air-quality impacts that a new Boulder Fire Department burn training facility would have on nearby residential, commercial and industrial areas. In order to achieve this aim, a number of worst-case-scenario T&D simulations were conducted, with stable atmospheres and with winds directed toward sensitive areas. These impacts were compared with those from other smoke sources in the area. An atlas was prepared of the probability that the odor of wood smoke, generated by training operations during particular times of day and seasons, could be detected at any point in the vicinity of the proposed facility. This atlas can be used for long-range test planning. Simulations used CALPUFF, an EPA-approved T&D model for use in regulatory and environmental studies.
