Understanding the Impact of Forest Fire on Ambient Air Quality

Abstract

In 2022, significant large fire events occurred in Uljin and Gangneung, resulting in a damaged area exceeding 23,000 ha. Large forest fires release substantial amounts of air pollutants into the atmosphere, leading to a significant degradation of air quality. Therefore, it is imperative to analyze the consequences of forest fires to assess their impact on the surrounding environment. This study aims to investigate various substances emitted during the Uljin and Gangneung forest fires and enhance our understanding of their effects on the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface. To accomplish this goal, this study leverages satellite data, numerical weather models, and ground-level in-situ observations. The impact on the ground is influenced by a combined effect of multiple factors such as meteorological conditions and topography. Among these factors, the direction and speed of the wind, as well as the height of the atmospheric boundary layer, were the most significant. Specifically, while wind plays a crucial role in the transport of air pollutants, ground-level concentrations are heavily dependent on the height of the planetary boundary layer. Consequently, a diurnal cycle is observed instead of a continuous high concentration. In addition, an inverse relationship between NO<inf>2</inf> and O<inf>3</inf> concentrations was identified, attributed to the dramatic increase in NO<inf>2</inf> levels and the effects of photochemical reactions. © 2024 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.