On the influence and spread of pollutants from California wildfires

Abstract:

The California wildfires in 2018 had devastating effects on human and animal life, local environment, and air quality. Inhalation of pollutants commonly found in wildfire smoke can have serious adverse health effects. The smoke and dust can contain a large number of toxic gases, allergy-inducing substances, and potentially other serious diseases threatening people's health. The Campfire that happened on November 8, 2018, at Butte County, CA caused serious pollution. I obtained daily concentration data of Carbon monoxide (CO) from various air quality stations around Butte County. The data shows a clear rise in the concentration of CO (a common toxic gas in fire sites) on November 9, 2018. I use the time series from the stations at Butte County and compare the concentration of CO before and after the Campfire. I also examine how quickly the pollutants spread to nearby regions and how long the effect lasted. Moreover, I use historical satellite data to see how the smoke spreads out in conjunction with the time series of air quality, wind speed, and direction. My research results show the spread and long-term effects of wildfire smoke pollutants on regional environments.