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Real-Time
Smoke
Particulate Sampling
Fire Storm 2000
Figure 5—The estimated 24-h running mass concentrations for
PM2.5 in Missoula and Hamilton, MT
during August 2000. Results
are from the corrected values of the MIE DataRam real-time
particulate monitor. Hazard category levels were determined by the
Montana Department of Environmental Quality for forest fire smoke.
Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the percentage of time the air quality was in the various hazard categories based on the PM2.5 AQI for Hamilton and Missoula. From August 14 to 30, the air quality index for the general public in Hamilton was categorized as unhealthy or worse about 67 percent of the time. If you include sensitive people (those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children), the air quality index was unhealthy or worse 93 percent of the time. Missoula's air quality was much better with no hazardous or very unhealthy peaks. The air quality index could be categorized as unhealthy 28 percent of the time from August 11 to 30, or unhealthy for 39 percent of the time if sensitive groups are included.
Figure 6—Air quality levels in Hamilton, MT, from
August 14 to 30, 2000. The hazard categories are based on
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air quality index
for particulates smaller than 2.5 µg/m³.
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