Comparison of national-scale biomass burning emission estimates using the latest in emission factor research in the BlueSky smoke modeling framework

The BlueSky smoke modeling framework (BSF) is used across the U.S. and internationally to forecast near-surface PM2.5 concentrations from prescribed fires and wildfires. It is also used on a regional to national scale to calculate emissions from the large suite of trace gases and aerosols emitted from biomass burning. Biomass burning emission factor research has advanced in recent years with studies conducted by the University of Montana and the Missoula Fire Lab measuring hundreds of previously unclassified non-methane organic compounds (NMOC's) in addition to the standard suite of carbon compounds and particulate matter. Historically BSF relied on the emission factors in the Fire Emission Production System (FEPS). Recently, BSF was updated with this latest EF information and testing done to investigate the scope and scale of changes in the emission calculation data stream. Presented first will be a comparison of the emission factors in CONSUME, FEPS, Urbanski (2014) and other retrospective EF summaries. Then a comparison using the 2014 wildfire season of the BSF forecasted emissions to those same emissions with the new EFs applied.