Workshop on WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events, Lima, Peru 6-9 October 1998

 

Workshop on WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events

Lima, Peru 6-9 October 1998

Sponsored by:

World Health Organization (WHO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)

CEPIS/PAHO/WHO

 

I. Background

Human-caused and natural wildfires in forests and other vegetation as well as land-use fires occur in many parts of the world. Smoke from vegetation fires consists mainly of fine particulate matter in the respirable range and to a lesser extent, of carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are not generally relevant to the long distance transport of air pollutants. During the episode of smoke in the South East Asian countries, monitoring of particulate matter of mean aerodynamic diameter at or below 10 m has shown that short-term air quality standards of WHO´s 1987 air quality guidelines for respirable particulate matter are largely exceeded.

The recurrence of transboundary smoke originating from uncontrolled forest fire and land-use fires in many countries around the world causing acute and long-term respiratory health problems requires a comprehensive strategy based on broad international consensus. Any comprehensive strategy must include:

  1. rapid detection capability of uncontrolled forest fire emergencies on a global scale;
  2. the gathering of useful and reliable monitoring data and health surveillance;
  3. the dissemination of information to all affected parties for appropriate decision making; and
  4. the development of national environmental and health response plans to forest fire emergencies, based on an international guideline.

Environmental as well as health aspects, cause-effect relationships, long-range pollution transport, etc. must be taken into consideration.

Case studies on the health impact of past and current large area forest fires must be examined and used to:

  1. correlate induced health effects with downwind concentration levels of particulate emissions and other pollutants; and
  2. develop a series of recommended steps for decision making and actions to be taken, when particulate and other pollutants from regional vegetation burning reach unacceptable levels.

Advanced monitoring data already collected and currently being measured in case studies of regional fire and smoke episodes from satellites, aircraft, and ground-based air sampling networks must be reviewed and examined in the context of its possible interpretation and use by the international health care community, in early decision making after the detection of fire event. The combination of global and regional meteorological data, atmospheric mass transport modelling, and real-time monitoring data on primary biomass particulate emissions, secondary aerosols, and other pollutants must be viewed as a vital part of any comprehensive strategy to both determine large area forest fire or source emissions characterization and downwind air quality impact on human population, quickly, for decision making during the episode.

A workshop of a small group of high-level experts with personal experience covering collectively all pertinent aspects of the problem was convened and the experts were organized into two Work Groups covering:

Work Group I – Environmental Health Issues:

  1. medical case studies of induced health effects resulting from large fire events;
  2. air pollution exposure assessment;
  3. air pollution (particulate matter) toxicology and epidemiology;
  4. effects of smoke from vegetation fires on human health;
  5. methods of health surveillance; and
  6. government health policies, including early emergency response procedures.

Work Group II – Environmental Monitoring and Global Meteorological Modelling Techniques:

  1. chemical properties/speciation of compounds, especially particulates;
  2. advanced regional and global satellite, aircraft mounted, and ground based environmental monitoring technologies;
  3. global and regional meteorological mass transport modelling, forecasting, prediction of concentrations; and
  4. regulatory environmental policies, including early emergency response procedures.

The experts came from different regions having shared interest in this problem (i.e. Latin America, North America, South East Asia, Western Pacific, and Africa).

WHO, at present, does not have any guidelines on how to advise Governments in emergency cases such as encountered with respect to vegetation fires and the smoke possibly affecting millions of people. As a consequence, it was determined that such guidelines should be developed on a very short time base.

The final guidelines will be based on a background document developed by a consultant from background papers that were solicited from and prepared by the small group of high level experts. The consultant – Orman Simpson, USA was named by AMRO/PAHO for the purpose of commissioning background papers, developing the background document, organizing a working meeting of the expert group, hereinafter referred to as the Expert Meeting, and preparing a final draft Guidelines document for delivery to WHO. The outcome of the Expert Meeting was a first draft Guideline document “WHO Guidelines for Vegetation Fire Periodic Events” which will be reviewed on a time-limited basis after the Expert Meeting by the Workshop Chair and two Vice-Chairs. Based on the results of the Review, a final draft Guidelines document are to be prepared and delivered to WHO. WHO will then review, edit, and publish the final Guidelines. In addition, the background document of papers written by the experts will be published as a scientific reference to the final Guidelines.

Elements of the draft guideline document include, but are not limited to the following:

  1. Review and summary of globally available information and case studies on the health impacts of vegetation fires;

  2. Review and summary of globally available monitoring information and data from measurement campaigns on vegetation fires;

  3. Characterization of air pollutant components in vegetation fires and their associated health effects;

  4. Recommendations on the interpretation and use of monitoring data, global and regional meteorological data, and atmospheric mass transport modelling to determine source apportionment of smoke episodes (i.e., large area source emissions characterization) and determine or predict down-wind air quality impact on human population;

  5. Review and summary of existing national guidelines on forest fires emergencies;

  6. Guidance on scientific methodologies for studying vegetation fire-induced health effects;

  7. Guidance for contingency plans, including a series of recommended steps to be used in decision making during a fire episode and actions to taken;

  1. Protective devices
  2. Information of the public
  3. Practical advice
  4. Training

    8. Guidance on regulatory environmental and health governmental policies and legal aspects.

The Expert Meeting was held at CEPIS, Lima, Peru during the week of 5-9 October and was co-sponsored by WHO, WMO, and UNEP.

The Lima Expert Meeting objectives included the following:

  1. Review and summarize globally available information and case studies on the health impacts of smoke generated by vegetation fires;

  2. Review and summarize globally available monitoring data and information from measurement campaigns on vegetation fires;

  3. Review and summarize existing national guidelines of forest fires emergencies;

  4. Develop a draft “Health Guidelines on Periodic Vegetation Fire Events” giving guidance on mitigation measures, vulnerability reduction, preventive action, environmental policy options, and future emergency response mechanisms.

These recommendations and guidelines should then be brought to the attention of the responsible national, regional (e.g. ASEAN) and international bodies (e.g. UNCSD) by the WHO Director-General. These recommendations should also form the basis for suitable arrangements and mechanisms (e.g. emergency response, vulnerability reduction, environmental health action plans, etc.) within WHO – at country, regional, interregional and global levels.

II. Outline of the Guidelines Document

Title: WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events

1. Introduction

General Introductory Section

2. Air Pollution from Forest Fires and Health

This section sets the scene for the rationale and development of the guidelines for fire and smoke emergencies, implementation, etc..

2.1 Basic Facts

Types and causes of wildfires and land-use fires, physico-chemical aspects of air pollutants from forest fires – definitions, notation, measurement techniques, sources of different types of data, interpretation of data for decision making, influencing factors affecting concentrations, source emission characterization and determining downwind exposures and their associated health effects, assessment of health effects in practice, quality assurance issues in implementation of guidelines for forest fires, etc.;

2.2 Global Situation

Overview of the exposure situation with regard to forest fires events in different world regions; highlighting key problems and issues, with emphasis on developing countries, lessons learned, on the basis of literature and case studies.

2.3 Role of Guidelines for Forest Fire Emergencies

How to use and apply the guidelines. Developing a national policy and strategy for responding to vegetation fire and smoke emergencies. How to obtain and use data for decision making in environmental health action plans.

3. Guidelines on Forest Vegetation Fire Emergencies for Public Health Protection

3.1 Smoke episodes emissions characterization and assessment of health risks related to downwind air quality.

3.2 Guidance on measures in emergency cases – contingency plans:

  1. Information of the public
  2. Protective devices
  3. Mitigation measures
  4. Practical advice
  5. Training;

    3.3 Guidance on methodology for assessment of health effects induced by burning of vegetation: epidemiological studies of short-term, long term effects, study design, confounding variable, statistical evaluation, etc.

    3.4 Application of appropriate short-term air quality guidelines: applicability of WHO air quality guidelines, application of other short-term guidelines, e.g. emergency values

    3.5 Factors influencing health outcomes: description of the influence of elevation, humidity, tropical climate, nutritional status, health status, vulnerability, etc. on the actual health impacts of air pollutants from vegetation burning on the individual and on vulnerable groups

    3.6 Guidance on regulatory environmental and health governmental policies and possible legal issues.

    4. Prevention of Future Health-Affecting Events

    Emergency response and present technological tools available to minimize and/or prevent health impact of smoke episodes. Policies and actions to prevent future uncontrolled wildfires and undesirable land-use fires around the world. Recommendations for future environmental data gathering during smoke episodes and its interpretation/use by public health officials

    III. Expert Meeting

    Title: Expert Meeting on Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events

    Venue: CEPIS, Lima, Peru

    Time: 6-9 October, 1998

    Objectives:

    1. Review and summarise globally available information and case studies on the health impacts of smoke from vegetation fires;
    2. Review and summarize globally available monitoring data and information from measurement campaigns on vegetation fires;
    3. Review and summarise existing national guidelines of forest fires emergencies;
    4. Review and finalise a draft “WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events”

     

    Draft Table of Contents

    List of participants

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GFMC AND UNOOSA

UN Office for Outer Space Affairs

The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) is the Secretariat for the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), a specialized committee of the UN General Assembly. The OOSA website provides background papers of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) which includes a report on Disaster Prediction, Warning and Mitigation (A/CONF.184/BP/2).

At the Forty-fourth session of the COPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (Vienna, 12-23 February 2007) a special session “Space-system-based disaster management support” included a presentation of GFMC:

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GFMC: INSARAG Update

INSARAG Update

November 2000

The following is a brief overview of latest activities of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG). More information, including an archive of reports of meetings and an overview of events scheduled in 2001 are available at the INSARAG web site.

1. INSARAG Regional Meeting Asia/Pacific (summary)

The meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group Asia/Pacific was held in Seoul, South Korea from 3-5 November 2000. Recommendations of the meeting: – that the INSARAG Guidelines (downloadable from the INSARAG Website) are a living document and a very useful checklist for national emergency management entities. Cambodia, China and India will review the document and send comments to the INSARAG Secretariat. It was recommended that the Guidelines include a section on the establishment of Reception Centres for international teams by the affected country. – to hold, on a yearly basis, elections to the position of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Regional Group Asia/Pacific. For 2001, New Zealand was elected Chairman with effect from 1 April 2001, Korea was elected Vice Chairman. – Australia offered to host the next annual meeting for international Search and Rescue Team Leaders in Sydney in December 2001. – New Zealand offered to host the next INSARAG Regional meeting for Asia/Pacific in November 2001.

2. INSARAG Regional Meeting Africa/Europe (summary)

The meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group Africa/Europe was held in Hammamet, Tunisia, from 16 to 19 November 2000. Recommendations of the meeting: – the establishment of a regional Working Group on Fire related disasters, including wildland fires, hazardous materials, and the threat to major hazard installations; – to increasingly use advanced technologies, where appropriate, in disaster response and disaster response preparedness activities (e.g. Virtual OSOCC and video conferencing); – to hold, on a yearly basis, elections to the position of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Regional Group Africa/Europe as well as regional Working Groups, starting from next year (2001); – the need for skills training standards for search and rescue teams to be developed. The meeting asked the Secretariat to task the INSARAG Working Group on Training to prepare such standards; – the need for joint training and exercises; – to ensure cross-fertilization among INSARAG regional groups by having observers from other regional groups attend regional meetings; – to undertake initial steps by a Core Group of interested countries, and with initial support of Switzerland, towards the elaboration of a Convention on Search and Rescue.

3. International SAR Convention (new INSARAG initiative)

Following recommendations of INSARAG Regional Groups, and further to the recommendation of the United Nations Secretary General to the Humanitarian Segment of the ECOSOC, an international convention for the deployment and utilization of search and rescue teams will be created. The Swiss Government has generously agreed to take the lead of the project in its initial phase.

As a first step, a Core Group of INSARAG member countries, including both providers and recipients of emergency aid, will be created. The Core Group will draft the text of the document based on the INSARAG Guidelines, and mobilize necessary support for the establishment of the Convention.

The Field Coordination Support Unit (FCSU) in OCHA-Geneva, in its capacity as INSARAG Secretariat, will facilitate the process. Countries and organizations, that are interested to support the international SAR Convention can obtain further information from:

Mr. Piero Calvi-Parisetti
Senior Consultant to OCHA
Field Coordination Support Unit (FCSU)
Disaster Response Branch (DRB)
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Geneva, Switzerland

Mobile: +41 79 544 8374
Fax: +41 22 917 0023
E-mail: calvi-parisetti@un.org

 

6. Meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group for the Americas (announcement)

The next meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group Americas will be held in Miami, USA, from 10 to 14 January 2001. The meeting will be hosted by the US Government.

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United Nations University (UNU)

United Nations University (UNU)

Photographs of the ceremony of signingthe agreement between the United Nations University (UNU) and the Max PlanckInstitute for Chemistry / Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) for Participationas an Associated Institution of the United Nations University.

Signing ceremony of thecooperative agreement between UNU and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry /Global Fire Monitoring Center. From left: Meinrat O. Andreae (Director,Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry) and Hans J.A.Van Ginkel (Rector, UNU) (sitting); Johann G. Goldammer (Director, GFMC) andJanos Bogardi (Director, UNU EHS)

 

In front of the UNUInstitute for Environment und Human Security (EHS), from left to right: MeinratO. Andreae, Johann G. Goldammer, Janos Bogardi, Hans J.A. Van Ginkel and GünterKlein (UNU EHS consultant) 

 

In front of the UNUInstitute for Environment und Human Security (EHS): UNU EHS staff with signatoryparties

 

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GFMC and the United Nations University (UNU)

GFMC Associate Institute of the United Nations University (UNU)

The mission of the United Nations University (UNU) is “to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States”. UNU is the “Think Tank” of the UN and ranked globally as a Top-Ten Government-Affiliated Think Tank and Top-Ten International Development Think Tank in 2010. The following four key roles represent the core of UNU’s activities

  • An international community of scholars
  • A bridge between the United Nations and the international academic community
  • A think-tank for the United Nations system
  • A builder of capacities, particularly in developing countries
  • a platform for dialogue and creative new ideas

One of the UNU Institutes is the Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNUEHS). UNU-EHS addresses the probability of the occurrence of risks which are the consequence of complex –both acute and latent- environmental hazards. It aims to improve the in-depth understanding of the cause-effect relationships to find possible ways to reduce risks and vulnerabilities. The Institute is conceived to support policy and decisionmakers with authoritative research and information.

Since 7October 2005 the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC)is an Associated Institute of UNU and a formal partner of UNU EHS. The activities of a UNU-GFMC Joint Programme are based on the scope of the UNU mandate as stipulated by the Strategic Directions of UNU. The five thematic areas of UNU, namely, (i) Environment and Sustainability, (ii)Science, Technology and Society, (iii) Development and Poverty Reduction, (iv)Good Governance – from Local to Global, and (v) Peace and Security, will receive contributions from the Joint Programme in a cross-cutting and synergetic way.

The contribution of the GFMC to the UNU-EHS mandate includes applied research for the development of concepts for capacity building in advanced wildland fire management. Depending on projects and requests the GFMC services aim to cover:

  • Methods of science and technology transfer for application in local fire management (wildland fire prevention, preparedness, suppression, rehabilitation) under different cultural, socio-economic and ecological environments
  • Methods and application of people-centred fire management (Community-Based Fire Management)
  • Development of national strategies and policies for wildland fire management, including legislation
  • Development of standards for international cooperation in wildland fire management (common terminology, standard procedures for cooperation in wildland fire emergencies)
  • Training courses for international wildland fire management specialists, including experts for assessment and intervention missions

GFMC cooperates closely with the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), a leading research and teaching institute based in Tokyo, Japan. Its mission is to advance efforts towards a more sustainable future, through policy-oriented research and capacity development focused on sustainability and its social, economic and environmental dimensions. At Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia, UNU-IAS is hosting the

Documents about the cooperation / affiliation agreement:

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GFMC AND WMO

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has initiated and supported a series of activities,which address problems arising from vegetation fires and smoke impacts on human health and the environment.

WMO Involvement in Southeast Asia

Since the late 1990s, GFMC and WMO cooperated closely in Southeast Asia in addressing the origin and impact of regional smoke pollution on the atmosphere, human health and safety:

The results of the WMO workshop are published in Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) Report 131. The GFMC, which was formally opened three months after the workshop, provided the “Overview of Fire and Smoke Episodes in Southeast Asia” with the presentation “Environmental Problems Arising from Land Use, Climate Variability, Fire and Smog in Indonesia: Development of Policies and Strategies for Land Use and Fire Management” (by Johann G. Goldammer, on behalf of the UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fires and the Fire Ecology and Biomass Burning Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Freiburg University, Germany:


Participants of the WMO Workshop in Singapore (2 June 1998)
Photo: WMO

In following-up, the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with WMO and GFMC), developed and published the Health Guidelines for Vegetation Fire Events.

In August 2016 an international workshop and training course „Forecasting Emissions from Vegetation Fires and their Impacts on Human Health and Security in South East Asia“ was organized by WMO, IBBI, UNISDR/IWPM, GWFN/GFMC, UNU, GIZ, IGAC and BMKG.


Participants of the WMO Workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia (29 August 2016)
Photo: BMKG

WMO Support to Develop the Health Guidelines for Vegetation Fire Events
Building on some of the recommendations of the Singapore workshop, the WMO co-sponsored the workshop Workshop on WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events, in which the the guidelines were drafted. The final versions of the guidelines are available at the GFMC WHO web space at:

Related publications by WMO
One of the eight Technical Commissions of the WMO is the Commission of Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM). The CAgM Publications Repository includes three fire-related publications, which are mirrored below:

WMO hosted the meeting of the members of the initial UNISDR Working Group Wildland Fire and constituting members of the International Liaison Committee of the International Wildland Fire Conferences (December 2001). First row (from left to right): Johann Georg Goldammer (GFMC, convener), Ms. Etsuko Tsunozaki (UNISDR Secretariat), Eduard P. Davidenko (Russia); Brian J. Stocks (Canada). Second row: Christopher O. Justice (GOFC-GOLD, U.S.A.), Gary Morgan (SOPAC, Australia), Liisa Jalkanen (WMO). Third row: Stephen J. Pyne (Arizona State University, U.S.A.), Dieter Schwela (WHO), Denny Truesdale (U.S. Forest Service) and Peter G.H. Frost (Zimbabwe).

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WMO Workshop on Regional Transboundary Smoke and Haze in Southeast Asia, Singapore, 2-5 June 1998

 

WMO Workshop on Regional Transboundary Smoke and Haze in Southeast Asia,

Singapore, 2-5 June 1998

Executive Summary

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) organized a regional workshop on transboundary smoke and haze in Southeast Asia, as part of its continuing response to the 1997 Forest fire episode, which caused widespread air pollution and environmental problems throughout the region. The Workshop held in Singapore from 2 to 5 June, 1998 and hosted by the Meteorological Service Singapore and co-sponsored by the Asian Development Bank, brought together representatives from the National Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services (NMHSs), the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center (ASMC), Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers (RSMCs), invited experts as well as other agencies that are directly involved with fire-related activities, and other organizations that are helping countries to address the smoke and haze and related transboundary pollution issues.

The workshop focused on the 1997/98 smoke and haze episodes, which interfered with civil aviation operations, maritime shipping, agricultural production, and the tourist industry. It also affected the health of populations in the region. The workshop was designed to further foster regional and international cooperation through the review of what has been learned during the latest fire season, and to plan and coordinate implementation activities aimed at improving the NMHS’s ability to manage transboundary smoke and haze episodes. This included discussions of regional plans such as the WMO programme to Address ASEAN Regional Transboundary Smoke (PARTS) and the Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP).

The workshop focused on operational aspects with emphasis on:

  • The assessment of the current monitoring and measurement systems and improvements which could be made to enhance regional capability needed to support smoke and haze health and environmental assessments;
  • The regional capabilities to provide needed meteorological support during episodes of severe smoke including the performance and improvement of daily smoke trajectory and dispersion forecasts from the Atmospheric Transport Models (ATMs);
  • The role of satellite remote sensing in detecting fires, and the aerosols and other pollutants emitted from fires, and in tracking the movement of the resulting smoke and haze envelopes;
  • Improvements in the exchange of information and coordination of activities among national authorities, NMHSs and other international and regional agencies concerned with smoke and haze and other transboundary pollution events.

One major lesson learned from the episode was that weather, climate, and smoke and haze do not recognize national boundaries. The fires last year were exacerbated by the El Niño related drought in the region, which provided favourable conditions for large-scale fires. A second major lesson from this episode was that the Meteorological Services played a critical role in the response and management of the regional and national smoke and haze problem. They contributed in valuable ways through: (1) traditional activities related to meteorological monitoring and forecasting; (2) through monitoring and surveillance functions, including hot spot identification using satellite imageries, haze trajectory modelling, compiling monthly and seasonal climate prediction information, and activities related to air quality monitoring; and (3) through effective and prompt dissemination of information to environmental and other agencies, engaged in fire and smoke and haze response and management, and the general public through Internet activities and press releases.

The fires of 1997/98 were looked at in perspective with earlier events. While the fires of 1997/98 were severe, they were not the first. Records in the region have shown that there have been at least 9 episodes of widespread smoke and haze episodes in the region since the 1970s, and that they occurred most frequently during El Niño periods. Looking at this trend, it is very possible that such fires and widespread smoke and haze episodes will occur again, as present land use plans in the region call for continued large-scale land conversion. Thus there is a pressing need for the region to maintain its vigilance, and to further develop and implement haze-related action plans.

A critical importance to the region is the need to further strengthen the capacities of the Meteorological Services to better provide the timely warnings and forecasts needed to anticipate risks of widespread burning and resultant smoke and haze episodes, and assist decision makers in managing smoke and haze episodes. Towards this end a series of recommendations were developed at the Workshop.

Recommendations

A) Enhance the regional capabilities to provide needed meteorological support in the form of improved predictions of ENSO and climate variability, and daily smoke trajectory and dispersion forecasts from Atmospheric Transport Models (ATMs), through:

  • Further developing regional climate prediction capabilities to interpret and locally enhance predictions from global forecasts, and provide more frequently global climate predictions and improved climate products.
  • Development of flexible, situation-dependent, measurement programs which allow for the provision of enhanced meteorological measurements (expanded frequency and spatial coverage) during periods of severe smoke and haze, and expanded use of satellite-derived meteorological products.
  • Installing trajectory / dispersion modelling capabilities at local meteorological services, and utilization of local area modelling (LAM) capabilities in the region.
  • Improving model performance through case studies, model evaluation exercises, and by conducting dry run exercises and possible tracer experiments.

B) Improve the ability to characterize fire activity and track the movement of smoke and haze by strengthening present satellite-usage capabilities by:

  • Improving the operational aspects through provisions for back-up hot spot analysis capabilities, harmonization of fire counts by use of a single detection algorithm, through real time transmission of high resolution data on fires derived from NOAA satellites, and efforts to verify fire counts and burn-area information, through ground-truthing activities.
  • Expanded efforts to estimate aerosol and trace gas emissions from fires by combining fire counts with burn-area, along with a better characterization of source characteristics from diverse ecosystems and land-use systems.
  • Promotion of the development of the next generation of satellites. This includes the need for a new NOAA channel-3 detector optimized for fire studies, dedicated fire satellites to monitor fires more precisely, and the use of space-borne radar for area burned determination and vegetation dryness assessment, and the use of lidar systems to measure the vertical distribution of trace gases and aerosols.

C) Strengthen regional monitoring efforts to assess the effects of smoke and haze on human health, to evaluate ecosystem impacts, to help validate atmospheric transport models, and characterize emission sources, by:

  • Enhancement of existing monitoring networks to measure smoke and haze related quantities including aerosol mass (PM2.5, PM10), visibility, optical depth, and meteorological parameters; and at selected sites, targeted chemical quantities including aldehydes, aerosol composition, and UV-B, and other trace pollutants (CO, O3, NOx, SO2, VOCs, CO2). Two levels of observing stations are envisioned, a base level comprising fewer measurement parameters but with a high level of consistency across the network, and a second level with a more comprehensive measurement suite.
  • Establishment of additional and population-based monitoring stations at areas not presently covered by existing networks (e.g., Kalimantan)
  • Promotion of the scientific exchange of the validated measurement data, and the harmonization and regional coordination of the air pollution indices (API) used in regional smoke and haze alerts, and
  • Formulation of uniform protocols for sampling, including temporal resolution and reporting procedures, and expand efforts directed at QA/QC, building upon the WMO/GAW program components.

D) Improve the management of smoke and haze (and other transboundary) pollution events through enhanced efforts directed at improved information exchange and coordination, including:

  • Enhancement of the current system for dissemination of data, products and other relevant information through the use of GTS for meteorological data and gridded model outputs, and the Intranet and/or Internet systems for non-standard products.
  • Efforts to increase the exchange of critical information including meteorological data (especially rainfall), air quality data (including air pollution indices), and trajectory and plume forecasts. A critical element is to promote harmonization of data and output products to support effective real-time decision-making.
  • Further, coordinate emergency response responsibilities and activities between national and regional meteorological services, with primary responsibility for the provision of information and forecasts to reside with ASMC, but with the option of seeking further input from other RSMCs, and with provisions for bi-lateral arrangements.
  • Improvements in existing mechanisms to regularly review the operational coordination between the NMHSs and activities related to the Regional Haze Action Plan, and recommend changes and/or improvements to the plans.
  • Fostering linkages between the meteorological services and other national, regional, and international organizations and scientific programs, such as (ICBP/IGAC), with common interests.

The Workshop further recognized that large-scale forest fires and the associated socio-economic and health-related problems occur frequently in other parts of the world, notably in South and Central America and Africa. It was recommended therefore that the deliberations and recommendations of this workshop be reviewed and evaluated by the organizations and agencies (including NMHSs) concerned in those regions. It was further recommended to organize as soon as possible an expert-level meeting to address the current situation in South and Central America, and the existing and/or required coordination/collaboration mechanisms.

The Workshop concluded with a plenary session which was joined by a delegation from the Bi-Regional Workshop of Haze-Related Air Pollution, organized by WHO Regional Offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, held in Kuala Lumpur during 1-4 June 1998. The objectives of that meeting were to: Review haze-related air pollution problems and research findings; Identify further research needs to support haze-related decision-making; and Develop health reduction measures/strategies. That workshop concluded that the haze episodes constituted a substantial health risk to the public as evidenced by the widespread exceedances of health-related air quality standards and guidelines for particulate matter (PM10 & PM2.5) , increased frequency of respiratory-related hospital visits in the most heavily impacted regions; increased frequency of attacks among asthmatic children; and reported persistent decreases in lung function among school children. The risks of long term health from these events is much more difficult to discern.

The WHO workshop stressed that from a health perspective, information on the nature and extent of human exposure to environmental pollutants is essential. Standard monitoring protocols are needed, and data analysis and presentation formats need to be harmonized and easily understood to be useful in health studies. The lack of consistency between the air pollution indices used in the region impedes inter country comparability. From the measurement perspective priority needs to be given to measurements of PM10 and 2.5, and the reporting of actual concentrations. They also concluded that more attention should be directed to filling in gaps in the measurement networks in the region, with emphasis on population-based locations to facilitate the health impact studies. Measurements are also needed to estimate apportionment of sources of particulate air pollution exposure, especially the relative contributions of biomass and motor vehicle-related urban pollution mixture sources.

The representatives at the Workshop recognized that the set of recommendations developed by the two workshops are complimentary, and strongly encouraged closer cooperative activities between the meteorological and health related aspects of transboundary pollution. The delegates pledged to continue to work towards closer collaborations.

WMO contacts:

Dr. John M. Miller
Chief, Environment Division
World Meteorological Organization
41 Av Guiseppe Motta
CH – 1211 Genève 2

Fax:     +41-22-734-2326
Tel:      +41-22-730-8240
e-mail: millerjm@wmo.ch

Dr. Liisa Jalkanen
Scientific Officer
WMO, AREP/ENV
41 Av. Giuseppe Motta
Case Postale No.2300
CH – 1211 Geneva 2

Fax:     +41-22-7400-984
Tel:      +41-22-7308-587
e-mail: Jalkanen_L@gateway.wmo.ch

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WHO Health Guidelines for Episodic Vegetation Fire Events

 

WHO Health Guidelines for EpisodicVegetation Fire Events

Draft Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Air Pollution from Vegetation Fires and Health

    2.1 Introduction
        2.1.1 Global Fire Occurrence
        2.1.2 Hazard Assessment at the Basis of Fire Risk
        2.1.3 Fire-weather forecasts
    2.2 Source Characterization: Emission and Post-Emission processes
    2.3 Ground-based Monitoring
    2.4 Space Monitoring and Modeling of the Distribution of Fire Product
    2.5 Climate Monitoring and Modeling of the Distribution of Fire Products
    2.6 Emergency Response Procedures

3. Guidelines on Forest Fire Emergencies for Public Health Protection

    3.1 Introduction
    3.2 Health Effects
        3.2.1 Acute health impacts of biomass air pollution
        3.2.2 Acute health impacts of particulate air pollution
        3.2.3 Chronic health impacts
    3.3 Public Advisories
        3.3.1 Information to the public
        3.3.2 Information on ambient air quality
        3.3.3 Information on national action
        3.3.4 Information on health effects
    3.4 Mitigation measures
        3.4.1 Remaining indoors
        3.4.2 Use of air cleaners
        3.4.3 Use of masks
        3.4.4 Outdoor precautionary measures
        3.4.5 Evacuation to emergency shelters
    3.5 Guidance on Methodology for Assessment of Forest-Fire Induced Health Effects
        3.5.1 Important potential components of all studies
        3.5.2 Study Designs / acute Exposures
        3.5.3 Study Designs / chronic Exposures
        3.5.4 Evaluation of data
        3.5.5 Priorities
   3.6 Application of short-term air quality guidelines
        3.6.1 Risk management
        3.6.2 Application of WHO Air Quality Guidelines
   3.7 Factors Influencing Health Effects

4. Prevention of Future Health-Affecting Events

    4.1 The Source: Land-Use / Fire Policies, Cross-References to other Programmes
    4.2 Recommendations: Addressing gaps in knowledge, technologies, programmes

5. Appendices

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Report on Early Warning for Fire and Other Environmental Hazards: III. RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Report on Early Warning for
Fire and Other Environmental Hazards

 

III. RECOMMENDATIONS

International Initiatives and Non-binding International Guidelines

Science and Technology Development

Recommendations by the IDNDR Early Warning Working Group on Fire and Other Environmental Hazards

The recommendations given by the IDNDR Early Warning Working Group on fire and other environmental hazards build on a series of previous international efforts which addressed the needs of international collaboration in providing and sharing information and technologies. In so doing, these efforts can create the institutional mechanisms necessary to fulfill the overall goals of the IDNDR as related to fire disasters. The recommendations are in agreement with, and legitimised by, international initiatives of scientific, management and policy institutions. They address a broad scale of fire management issues which will be mentioned because they are prerequisites for operational early warning systems. Summary recommendations of the IDNDR Early Warning Working Group are given at the end of this chapter.

International Initiatives and Non-binding International Guidelines

The methodologies, systems, and procedures in early warning of fire and atmospheric pollution, as in the preceding chapter, are not equally available worldwide. Furthermore, some information systems, such as the global fire data set, global coverage of fire-weather prediction, or real-time monitoring of active fires are still in the phase of being tested and further developed.

Several recent international initiatives in fire science and policy planning have developed concepts and visions for collaboration in fire science and management at international level. The recommendations of the UN FAO/ECE Seminar “Forest, Fire, and Global Change”, Shushenskoe, Russian Federation, August 1996 (ECE/FAO/ILO, 1996), acknowledged by the resolution of the International Wildland Fire ’97 Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 1997 (Clevette, 1997; Anonymous, 1997), and presented at the 11th World Forestry Congress, Antalya, Turkey, October 1997 (Goldammer, 1997c), underscored the need of providing international agreements which address the following issues:

i) Quantifiable information on the spatial and temporal distribution of global vegetation fires is urgently needed relative to both global change and disaster management issues.

Considering the various recent initiatives of the UN system in favour of global environmental protection and sustainable development, the ECE/FAO/ILO Seminar on Forest, Fire and Global Change strongly urges the formation of a dedicated United Nations unit specifically designed to use the most modern means available to develop a global fire inventory, producing a first-order product in the very near future, and subsequently improving this product over the next decade. This fire inventory data will provide the basic inputs into the development of a Global Vegetation Fire Information System. The FAO should take the initiative and coordinate a forum with other UN and non-UN organizations working in this field, e.g. various scientific activities of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), to ensure the realization of this recommendation. (See also Recommendations of ECE/FAO and the international fire science community [Anonymous, 1995]).

ii) The development of a satellite dedicated to quantifying the geographical extent and environmental impact of vegetation fires is strongly supported.

iii) A timely process to gather and share information on ongoing wildfire situations across the globe is required.

iv) Mechanisms should be established that promote community self-reliance for mitigating wildfire damages and that would also permit rapid and effective resource-sharing between countries as wildfire disasters develop.

It is recommended that the UN prepare the necessary measures in this regard, which should follow the objectives and principles of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).

v) The unprecedented threat of consequences from fires burning in radioactively contaminated vegetation, and the lack of experience and technologies of radioactive fire management, requires a special, internationally concerted research, prevention and control programme.

The International Tropical Timber Organization of the UN took a first step in its development of “Guidelines on Fire Management in Tropical Forests” (ITTO, 1997). They provide comprehensive guidance targeted at the situation in the economically less developed regions of the tropics. Among other comments, the guidelines state:

“Assessment, prediction and monitoring of fire risk and means of quantification of forest fires and other rural fires are prerequisites for fire management planning purposes. Statistical data sets can also be used to call attention of authorities, policy makers and the general public. In the tropics such information is difficult to be gathered by ground based-methods. Air- and space borne sensors offer possibilities to monitor less accessible and sparsely populated land areas with inadequate ground-based infrastructures.”

Accordingly, ITTO recommends:

i) Seeking access to meteorological information from ground stations and space borne systems and the utilization of this information for fire intelligence (fire risk assessment).

ii) Use of existing orbital remote sensing systems for fire detection and prediction which provide real-time information on the geographic location of fires.

iii) ITTO member countries should join others in supporting the development of international mechanisms to predict wildfires (early warning systems).

iv) The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) should ensure that in the implementation of Agenda 21 for forests, due attention is given to forest fires in relation to arrangements that may be developed to harmonize and promote international efforts to protect the world’s forests.

v) A UN-sponsored Global Fire Research and Management Facility which includes a Global Vegetation Fire Information System and the capabilities to provide support on request to any nation in fire management and prevention and management of wildfire disasters should be considered by the CSD.

The ITTO guidelines provide general recommendations which will need to be fine-tuned to meet specific national requirements. In Indonesia, for instance, ITTO is sponsoring the development of the “National Guidelines on Protection of Forests against Fire” which will be finalized in December 1997. This initiative is particularly important in light of the repeated smog episodes in South East Asia caused by land-use fires and wildfires. Other countries, such as Namibia, aim to base their national programmes on the ITTO guidelines.

The first regional initiative is underway in the region of member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The resolution and recommendations of the ASEAN Conference on “Transboundary Pollution and the Sustainability of Tropical Forests: Towards Wise Forest Fire Management” in Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 1996, stated (ASEAN, 1997):

“The Conference recognised the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Guidelines on Fire Management in Tropical Forests which has been adopted by most of the ASEAN member countries”.

It further recommended that,

“A collaborative meteorological and air monitoring information network and workable partnership in ASEAN should be further explored. The network would make use of up-to-date remote sensing and communication technologies in order to provide regional assessment of fire risk, fire and smoke events and early warning systems. The related existing national and regional institutions should form a core group of agencies that could be coordinated by a regional centre, such as the AIFM. This centre will take the lead in the organisation of such a network, and to assist the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) Haze Technical Task Force, as required in the ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution.”

Another regional initiative is proceeding in the Baltic Basin. The First Baltic Conference on Forest Fire (4-8 May 1998, Poland) is designed to improve the cooperation in early warning of fire and fire management among the countries bordering the Baltic Sea; candidate warning and alert systems are described above in the section on Automatic Fire Alerts.

Science and Technology Development

Fire research and technology development have received considerable stimulation by scientific projects conducted under the umbrella of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and other programmes devoted to global change research (see e.g. Andreae et al., 1993; Journal of Geophysical Research Special Issue, 1996; FIRESCAN Science Team, 1996; Malingreau and Justice, 1997; van Wilgen et al., 1997). While the scope of global change research is not necessarily directed towards requirements of operational management systems, e.g. early warning of natural hazards, the spin-offs of basic science nevertheless have a considerable potential for management solutions.

However, the application of existing technologies, methods, and procedures of information gathering, processing and distribution has revealed that many of the existing systems must be developed further in order to meet the requirements of precise and real-time application for early warning and management of fire and other environmental hazards.

Communication systems for early warning information dissemination are generally advanced since they rely on the technology progress in the civilian telecommunication sector. Space borne sensing and collection of real-time data for early fire warning purposes generally depend on systems which were not specifically designed for sensing fire precursors, active fires, and fire effects. Thus, a short overview is given below on the most important sensors which are currently designed or are in progress of construction.

New space borne sensors for early warning of fires and atmospheric pollution

In accordance with the analysis of Kendall et al. (1997) it is obvious that the remote sensing fire community, in addition to continuing experimentation and refinement of methods, needs to provide the operational monitoring data sets, at regional and global scales, to contribute to early warning of fire hazard, to fire and smoke management, and to earth system studies. The development of operational automated monitoring techniques and the provision of consistent long term data sets is a challenge that the remote sensing community is now facing. Issues associated with prohibitive data costs, computing resources, data management, data archival, and distribution need to be addressed.

Data set development is being undertaken with satellite sensing systems which were not designed for fire monitoring purposes. The current suite of sensors suitable for fire monitoring have problems such as calibration, saturation, spatial resolution, orbital overpass time, and coverage, which need to be taken into account in the data processing and data set compilation. It is critical that the user community fully understands the limitations of the data and its utility. New sensors are being designed and built which will reduce or eliminate some of these problems, but they will introduce new, and in some cases unanticipated, problems. The development of new satellite data sets is an iterative process and one which needs to be undertaken in close collaboration with the user community. The planned sensing systems will certainly provide a challenge to the remote sensing community in terms of data volume. The challenge will be to render the raw data to a volume and information content suited to the user community.

Some of the sensing systems which are in the planning and/or construction phase are facing financial constraints. The user community which requires new space borne technologies for early warning applications therefore underscores the need to realize these planned satellite programmes:

MODIS Imaging System

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is planned for launch as part of NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) in 1998. This system will provide new capabilities over the currently utilized coarse resolution sensors. Thirty-six spectral bands are planned between 0.4ìm and 14.3ìm at resolutions ranging from 250m to 1000m. Currently, two MODIS instruments are planned with the first platform providing a 10:30 am and pm overpass and the second providing a 2:30 am and pm overpass. For fire monitoring, the one kilometre infrared channels at 3.96ìm and 11.0ìm bands will have increased saturation levels, 500K and 335K respectively, which will permit improved active fire monitoring. Full resolution MODIS fire products will have 1 km resolution, and the data will be summarized for coarser grids. In the post launch period, emphasis will be placed on validating the fire product and developing and testing automated burn scar detection techniques. The improved spatial and radiometric resolution of MODIS at 250m in the visible and near-infrared bands will permit more accurate area estimate of burn scars.

BIRD Satellite Observation

BIRD will be a small satellite mission for early warning of vegetation conditions and fires. Starting from their FIRES proposal (Jahn et al., 1996) the DLR (Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt) had proposed a new approach in the design of a small satellite mission dedicated to hot spot detection and evaluation. The new approach is characterized by a strict design-to-cost philosophy. A two-channel infrared sensor system in combination with a Wide-Angle Optoelectronic Stereo Scanner (WAOSS) shall be the payload of a small satellite (80kg). The unique combination of a stereo camera and two infrared cameras gives the opportunity to acquire both more precise information about leaf mass and photosynthesis for the early diagnosis of vegetation condition and changes, as well as real time discrimination between smoke and clouds. The primary objectives of the planned BIRD mission are:

  • test of a new generation of infrared array sensors adapted to earth remote sensing objectives by means of small satellites;
  • detection and scientific investigation of hot spots, including forest fires, volcanic activities, burning oil wells or coal seams; and
  • thematic on-board data processing, and testing a neuronal network classificator in orbit.

Next generation geosynchronous satellites

The next generation of geosynchronous satellites will provide improved fire monitoring capabilities with continued high temporal coverage. This means that a better understanding of the diurnal cycle of fire in a range of ecosystems will be possible. For monitoring North and South America, the GOES NEXT (I-M) series of satellites was launched in 1994. The new GOES satellites offer greater radiometric sensitivity and spatial resolution along with improved geolocation. Preliminary results from GOES-I data indicate enhanced capabilities in the identification of fires and the quantification of associated haze. Geosynchronous coverage of Africa and Europe will also be improved in the coming years as the METEOSAT Second Generation (MSG) satellites are launched in 1998. MSG will offer a significant improvement in biomass burning monitoring capabilities through increased spectral coverage. The new sensors will provide 3 km scale coverage every fifteen to thirty minutes with a spectral range similar to that provided by the NOAA-AVHRR. With the addition of a middle-infrared channel (3.8ìm), an opportunity for thorough investigation of the diurnal cycle of fire in African ecosystems will be feasible at last.

Future Challenges: Multi-spectral and multi-temporal sensing of early warning parameters

Early warning, monitoring and inventory of wildfire needs to be accompanied by monitoring and inventory of those ecological characteristics which lead to fire. Disturbances, such as insect or disease outbreak, wind throw of trees, forestry practices and other land use activities frequently are precursors to fire events, fire patterns and resulting severity. Insects and disease stress ecosystems, resulting in partial mortality and production of dead materials, particularly foliage and other fine materials which are critical to fire ignition and behaviour. Post-fire vegetation recovery is important to predict fire-return intervals.

Advanced early warning systems will need to integrate these parameters into multi-layer fire information systems. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology, combined with decision support systems (expert systems), offer feasible, cost-efficient, and user-friendly solutions.

International fire research programmes

The fire research programmes conducted under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) offer a suitable mechanism to provide the scientific perspectives for the IDNDR. As it is anticipated that the consequences of global change in general and climate change in particular will increase global natural hazards, the merging of joint interests between the IGBP and IDNDR communities seems to be advisable.

 

Recommendations by the IDNDR Early Warning Working Group on Fire and Other Environmental Hazards

In accordance with the conclusions and recommendations given by the various international initiatives, the IDNDR Early Warning Working Group on Fire and other Environmental Hazards comes to the following recommendations for priority activities:

i) A global fire inventory must be designed and implemented, producing a first-class product in the very near future, in order to provide a basis for early warning systems. Subsequently, this product then must be improved for standardized application over the next decade.

Fire inventory data is necessary to provide the basic inputs into the development of a future relational (geo-referenced) global fire database within the proposed Global Vegetation Fire Information System (GVFIS). FAO should take the initiative and coordinate a forum with other UN and non-UN organizations working in this field, including various scientific activities of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the mechanisms of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1997).

ii) A timely process to gather and share real-time information about ongoing wildfire situations on a global basis is required.

This follows a proposal to create the World Fire Web in which a network of centres with facilities to receive and process fire observation data from satellites will be connected via the World Wide Web (WWW). Through the World Fire Web scientists, managers, and policy makers can have instant access to local, regional and world data so that they can can exchange experiences, methods and trouble-shoot with each other. The World Fire Web, in conjunction with the space borne evaluation of vegetation dryness, fire-weather forecasts and the possibility of forecasting fire danger and fire behaviour may provide a powerful early warning and disaster preparedness and management tool at national, regional and global scales. The information network should include the resource status by continuously monitoring the disposition of suppression resources. This includes the location and status of individual resources as well as potential availability for inter-agency and international mobilization.

iii) Technology transfer and information exchange on early warning and fire management decision support systems must be provided through international collaborative agreements or technical assistance programmes. Such programmes must support countries in fire-prone regions of the tropics and subtropics where advanced fire management systems are not yet fully available.

iv) The development of space borne sensor technologies devoted to the specific tasks of recognizing wildfire disaster precursors, fire activities, and the impacts of fire (ecological, atmospheric, chemical) must receive high priority.

v) Additional fire research is needed in those locations where existing early warning systems cannot be applied due to the particular relationships between vegetation, local/regional weather and prevailing socio-economic or cultural conditions which contribute to wildfires and their secondary damages, such as atmospheric pollution.

South East Asia is one of the less explored regions in which fire research must receive adequate attention as proposed by the ASEAN Transboundary Haze Pollution initiative as well as by the IGBP global-change oriented science programmes. These include the South East Asian Fire Experiment (SEAFIRE) and the SARCS Integrated IGBP/IHDP/WCRP Study on Land-use Change in Southeast Asia.

vi) Policies and agreements on environmental protection at international levels should ensure that in the implementation of Agenda 21 for forests, due attention is given to forests fires in relation to arrangements that may be developed to harmonize and promote international efforts to protect the world’s forests.

vi) The suggestion of ITTO to establish a UN-sponsored facility for global fire research and management is endorsed to facilitate the development of the proposed Global Vegetation Fire Information System. This is considered essential in order to provide support on request to any nation in early warning, prevention, management and mitigation of wildfire disasters.

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Report on Early Warning for Fire and Other Environmental Hazards: IV. REFERENCES

 

Report on Early Warning for
Fire and Other Environmental Hazards

 

IV. REFERENCES

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