Many tribal communities are exposed to smoke from wildfires, both wildland and controlled burns, for days, weeks, or even months in a given year. With that smoke comes the potential for high concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5) and other pollutants that may cause adverse health risks. A common recommendation during smoke episode is to stay indoors to reduce smoke exposure. However, smoke can infiltrate indoors and may not be effectively removed by the building heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Additionally, building characteristics and occupant behavior can translate to indoor air quality conditions is not well understood. To better understand how these building-related factors impact indoor air quality during a wildfire smoke episode the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is partnering with the Hoopa Valley Tribe which experiences air quality impacts on an annual basis due to wildfire smoke as well as residential woodburning stoves.
Presented by Brian McCaughey, Hoopa Valley Tribal EPA
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