This open access book synthesizes current information on wildland fire smoke in the United
States providing a scientific foundation for addressing the production of smoke from wildland
fires. This will be increasingly critical as smoke exposure and degraded air quality are
expected to increase in extent and severity in a warmer climate. Accurate smoke information is
a foundation for helping individuals and communities to effectively mitigate potential smoke
impacts from wildfires and prescribed fires. The book documents our current understanding of
smoke science for (1) primary physical chemical and biological issues related to wildfire and
prescribed fire (2) key social issues including human health and economic impacts and (3)
current and anticipated management and regulatory issues. Each chapter provides a summary of
priorities for future research that provide a roadmap for developing scientific information
that can improve smoke and fire management over the next decade.
