A PRESCRIBED BURN DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE KANSAS FLINT HILLS REGION

During March and April each year, ranchers and farmers in the Kansas Flint Hills region burn two to three million acres of rangeland. These annual burns have been a longstanding land management practice in the region (Fig. 1). However, smoke generated by these burns can impact downwind cities (Fig. 2), and the air quality impacts on the public from this smoke have gained more attention in recent years. The smoke and precursor emissions can cause negative health effects, and as the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter and ozone become more stringent, there is added concern that these smoke impacts could contribute to exceedances of the NAAQS.