Expert on wildfire air pollution

August 29, 2016
Subject: UW Bothell expert Daniel Jaffe available for interview on wildfire air pollution
Contact: Lisa Hall / Lhall7@uw.edu / 425-352-5461
Relevance:
Recent wildfires in Washington have burned thousands of acres, destroyed a dozen homes near Spokane and forced the evacuation of 100 homes near Leavenworth. The fires also have put smoke into the atmosphere. With the wildfire season continuing into the fall, that’s likely to continue. That leads to concerns about wildfires as a source of air pollution and threat to human health.
Expert:
Daniel Jaffe, chair and professor of physical sciences, School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics at University of Washington Bothell, is an expert on pollution sources, particularly wildfire smoke in the western United States and ozone air quality standards in the summer.
Issues:
• Wildfire air pollution is made up of two parts, the particulates you see and the secondary component, ozone or smog, which is an irritant with health issues.
• Wildfires are increasingly significant as a source of air pollution, in part, because of the success of regulations in controlling emissions from cars and power plants.
• The number of wildfires in the past five years is almost certainly linked to climate becoming drier and warmer.
• The interplay of natural events and regulations impact air quality and human health.
• Wildfires in remote areas can affect urban air quality.
Bio:
As a professor of atmospheric and environmental chemistry at University of Washington Bothell, Jaffe’s areas of expertise are in global and regional atmospheric pollution and in long range transport of air pollution across the Pacific. He has been involved in scientific studies of wildfire smoke, ozone and particulate matter and currently has ongoing research at Mount Bachelor in Oregon. His research group has also studied diesel particulate matter and coal dust from coal trains in the Columbia River Gorge. Home page: http://www.atmos.washington.edu/jaffegroup/modules/news/
Contact:
Jaffe is available for interviews at:
Phone: 425-352-5357
djaffe@uw.edu
About UW Bothell: Ranked No. 1 in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest on Money magazine’s list of best colleges, UW Bothell provides access to an exceptional University of Washington education for students of tremendous potential. Offering more than 45 undergraduate and graduate degrees, options, certificates and concentrations, UW Bothell builds regional partnerships, inspires change, creates knowledge, shares discoveries and prepares students for leadership in the state of Washington and beyond.

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