This summer, wildfire smoke poured into New York from our neighbors to the north.
Next year there will be realtime data that allows us to know exactly how clean the air is in all 62 counties across New York State as the Cornell Cooperative Extension is installing air-quality sensors in 28 upstate counties where previously there were none.
Installing these sensors in all New York counties will allow state and federal agencies to observe smoke plumes in real time, collect data and issue precise, timely alerts to the public. Accurate data will inform local public health prevention-and-response actions, such as school closings, camp warnings and public service messages.
That means, should we experience smoke again in the future, there will be no guessing about how safe it is to go outside.
"When the wildfire smoke hit New York, I received questions from partners around the state," said Alistair Hayden, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health. "In talking to officials from around the state, it quickly bubbled up that many upstate communities had no data about their air quality. Smoke and population health was a concern, and we found that 28 of New York’s 62 counties did not have a single air-quality sensor able to detect fine particulate matter of at least 2.5 microns (PM2.5), which is the main component of wildfire smoke."
A majority of sensors are already installed, but the project will be complete by wildfire season next year.
"We didn't have information locally to know how bad it was to protect ourselves from the potential health consequences," Keith Tidball, assistant director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, said. "So I think this is great...action that information at the local level...the next time we have wildfires and smoke – and it will happen again – all of us will be very glad that these sensors are in place. Now, we’ll get more localized, tangible, complete and readily accessible information.”
All of the data collected will go to the EPA, and can be found online.
