Hosted by Fire Adapted Montana: Learning Network. Join our panel discussion & webinar to learn about resources and funding available to your community to address the health impacts of wildfire smoke. This 2-hour webinar will provide you with information on the risks of wildfire smoke, best practices from other communities in Montana actively addressing smoke, and resources for how you can fund and implement wildfire smoke resilience projects in your community. Presentations will be provided by: Montana DPHHS, Fire in the Root, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, US Forest Service, and the Montana Climate Office.
Objectives:
Panelists:
Mary Anderson – Wildfire Smoke Coordinator, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Mary will discuss what makes wildfire smoke so harmful to our health, how to protect ourselves indoors and outdoors, and resources available to responders in Montana communities.
Mason Dow – Air Quality Monitoring Coordinator, Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Matt will provide a background on DEQ’s monitoring efforts and information on how this air quality monitoring data is used outside of regulatory decisions.
Matt Ferrell – Partnership Coordinator, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Matt will discuss the US Forest Service’s plan to increase prescribed burning across Montana, which may increase the frequency of short term smoke events, and how we can collaborate with Public Health Agencies to better prepare the public.
Kyle Bocinsky – Director of Climate Extension, Montana Climate Office
Kyle will share information about the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ PurpleAir air quality monitoring network, which focuses on community health and education across the Flathead Reservation.
Ella Langer – Fire Adapted Communities Coordinator, DNRC & Fire in the Root
Ella will share her experience working with residents in Ravalli County, and discuss how to identify at-risk populations and adapt messaging in your project area.
If you have any questions about the webinar or need assistance registering, please contact Blake Sexton at blake.sexton@mt.gov