Establishing a Community Air Monitoring Network in a Wildfire Smoke-Prone Rural Community: The Motivations, Experiences, Challenges, and Ideas of Clean Air Methow’s Clean Air Ambassadors

Amanda Durkin, Rico Gonzalez, Tania Busch Isaksen, Elizabeth Walker and Nicole A. Errett
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Amanda Durkin: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Rico Gonzalez: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Tania Busch Isaksen: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Elizabeth Walker: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Nicole A. Errett: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: In response to wildfire-related air quality issues as well as those associated with winter wood stove use and prescribed and agricultural burning, Clean Air Methow’s Clean Air Ambassador program established a community air monitoring network (CAMN) to provide geospatially specific air quality information and supplement data generated by the two Washington State Department of Ecology nephelometers situated in the area. Clean Air Ambassadors (CAAs) were purposefully selected to host low-cost air sensors based on their geographic location and interest in air quality. All 18 CAAs were interviewed to understand their motivations for participation, experiences using the data, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future project directions. Interview transcripts were coded, and a qualitative analysis approach was used to identify the key themes in each domain. The reported motivations for participation as a CAA included reducing personal exposure, protecting sensitive populations, interest in air quality or environmental science, and providing community benefits. CAAs used CAMN data to understand air quality conditions, minimize personal or familial exposure, and engage other community members in air quality discussions. Opportunities for future project directions included use for monitoring other seasonal air quality issues, informing or reducing other pollution-generating activities, school and community educational activities, opportunities for use by and engagement of different stakeholder groups, and mobile-friendly access to CAMN information. Limited challenges associated with participation were reported. Additional research is necessary to understand the community-level impacts of the CAMN. The findings may be informative for other rural wildfire smoke-prone communities establishing similar CAMNs.

Keywords: wildfire smoke; air quality; clean air monitoring network; community science (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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