‘Where There’s Smoke: Reducing Downwind Impacts of Prescribed Burns’

April 27^th 2021 an inspiring story of, the power of community starts with one, broke on the NC State News website.

‘Where There’s Smoke: Reducing Downwind Impacts of Prescribed Burns’ is a fascinating article by author Megan Skrip who describes how North Carolina State University PhD student Kate Jones plans to use modern technological analytics to build a community around the effects of climate change in the west part of North Carolina, specifically the southern Appalachian region.

Megan tells us that the Table Mountain Pines need fire to be able to release their seeds, and thrive. The smoke that spreads from these prescribed fires can affect the local communities and have adverse effects on people’s health.

Looking into this problem Kate Jones says that “My research will couple landscape change and smoke modelling to understand how management action and climate will affect smoke dispersal from prescribed fires.”

Kate’s research has gathered the interest of multiple agencies including North Carolina Wildfire Resources, the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers and North Carolina State Parks. They will benefit from online tools that promote collaboration and communication and may effect management decisions for 50 years into the future.

This research is a win-win for all.

It all starts with One.

It takes one person with a dream, a vision that means a lot to a lot of people and others will follow suit, and eventually all help together to affect change.

Thank you Megan Skrip and Kate Jones for affecting change.

Never Give Up on Your Dream!

See more of Kate's work here

Tom Lacey