Newport Beach El Segundo

June 13th June 14th

Background Newport Beach request to the Coastal Commission to

remove fire rings

Commission staff cited exemption in SCAQMD rules as justification to deny request

Large number of fire rings close to where people live, work, & play

Wood smoke poses a localized health impact on beach goers and nearby residents

3

Beach Name City No. of Fire Rings

LOS ANGELES COUNTY Total = 79

Dockweiler State Beach Playa del Rey 73

Cabrillo Beach San Pedro 6

ORANGE COUNTY Total = 687

Bolsa Chica State Beach Huntington Beach 178

Huntington City Beach Huntington Beach 112

Huntington State Beach Huntington Beach 240

Balboa Beach Balboa/Newport Beach

33

Corona Del Mar State Beach Newport Beach 27

Aliso Beach County Park South Laguna 7

Doheny State Beach Dana Point 72

Capistrano Beach Park Capistrano 4

North Beach San Clemente 5

San Clemente City Beach San Clemente 9

* Not intended to be an all inclusive list.

Agency Positions on Wood Smoke

California Air Resources Board

Wood smoke a serious threat to public health

Aggravates lung and heart disease

Can cause 10% increase in children's hospital admissions for respiratory symptoms

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Wood smoke can affect everyone

Children, persons with existing health conditions most vulnerable

Health risks can be reduced by switching to gaseous fuels

PM Health Guidance National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM2.5:

Annual Average: 12 mg/m3

24 Hour Average: 35 mg/m3

Guidance for Public Health Officials for Wildfire Smoke

Recommended protective measures based upon shorter term PM exposure

Includes Time frames as short as 1 to 3 hours

for both PM2.5 and PM10: 89 - 138 mg/m3 - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG)

139 - 351 mg/m3 - Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

352 - 526 mg/m3 - Very Unhealthy

Lipsett, Michael and Barbara Materna, Wildfire Smoke A Guide for Public Health Officials, 2008.

Beach Fire Pit Emissions Assessed the emissions of a single fire ring for

one evening

One fire event assumed to burn 2 bundles of wood (approx. 32 lbs total)

Assumed CARB fireplace emission factor

Compared emissions to that of an average on-road 2013 Heavy Duty Diesel Vehicle (HDDV)

One fire pit in one evening estimated to emit as much PM2.5 as one Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck driving 564 miles

SCAQMD Monitoring Studies Purpose

Assess potential for human exposure to wood smoke from beach fires

Approach

Deploy a combination of monitoring technologies and sampling strategies

Other Considerations

Shifting meteorology, variable activity levels, technology limitations

Gradient Surveys Objective:

Assess the PM impacts of the Beach Fires at multiple locations downwind over the course of an evening

Methods:

TSI Inc. DustTrak DRX – Measures PM1, PM2.5, PM10 on a second-by-second basis

Advantages: small, portable, high time resolution, good survey tool for relative measurements

Limitations: not certified to federal reference method criteria. A drying inlet implemented to remove humidity effects

Preliminary Results: Corona Del Mar 3/30/13 10 Minute Average PM10 Relative to Background Levels

Ratios to Lowest Observe Measurement

Fire pits

Stationary Monitor

1.4

1.4

1.2

1.1

2.5

2.7 2.2

2.7

1.5

1.1

1.7

1.1

1.0

1.7

1.2

2.0 2.5

4.9

4.9

3.7

15 Fire pits

16 Fire pits

1

2.3

Nig

ht

Win

d

1.1

1.5 1.3

1.3

1.4

1.4

Mobile Measurements: 10 minute averages

Measurements: 7pm to 10pm average

Preliminary Results: Balboa Beach 3/23/13 10 Minute Average PM2.5 Relative to Background

Preliminary Results: Dockweiler State Beach 4/20/13 10 Minute Average PM2.5 Relative to Background

Fire pits

1.5

2.0

1.0

1.5

3.5

5.0

1.0

2.0 1.5

1.0 1.0 1.0

1.0

3.5 1.5

16

Preliminary Results: Huntington Beach 4/13/13 10 Min Average PM2.5 Relative to Background

5.6 8.0

1.4

3.6 10.8

0.6

2.4

2.4

1.6

1.8

1.8

1.8 1.8 1.2 1.6

1.2

1.0 Background

9.8

2.0

3.2

3.0

1.8

2.8 1.4

4.8

4.6

1.3

1.4

Preliminary Results: Huntington Beach 4/27/13

Gradient 1

Gradient 2

Gradient 3

Preliminary Results: Huntington Beach 4/27/13

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Esti

mat

ed P

M2

.5 R

elat

ive

to B

ackg

rou

nd

Lev

el

Distance from Source (meters)

Gradient 1

Gradient 2

Gradient 3

I - 710 freeway (SCAQMD, 2012)

I - 405 freeway (Zhu et al., 2002)

Preliminary Results: Doheny State Beach 06/01/13 20 minute Average PM2.5 Ratio to Background

2.6

1.4

1.6

1.0

1.0

2.3

1.3

Fire Pits

7.6

9.0

Preliminary Results: Doheny State Beach 06/01/13

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Esti

mat

ed P

M2.

5 Re

lati

ve to

Back

grou

nd Le

vel

Distance from Source (meters)

Gradient 1

Gradient 2

I-710 freeway (SCAQMD, 2012)

I-405 freeway (Zhu et al., 2002)

Fixed-Site Monitoring Objective:

Assess the PM impacts of the Beach Fires at a fixed locations, continuously over time

Methods:

E-BAM – Measures PM2.5 on an hourly basis

Advantages: portable, low power, same measurement principle as a Federal Equivalent Method

Limitations: less accurate at low levels

Aethalometer – Measures Black Carbon, an indicator of combustion, on a continuous basis

Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) - Measures Ultrafine particles, indicative of nearby sources of combustion

Huntington Beach Preliminary Data: PM2.5 Hourly Average Time Series

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2004/

12/1

3 0:

004

/12

/13

12

:00

4/13

/13

0:00

4/1

3/1

3 1

2:0

04/

14/1

3 0:

004

/14

/13

12

:00

4/15

/13

0:00

4/1

5/1

3 1

2:0

04/

16/1

3 0:

004

/16

/13

12

:00

4/17

/13

0:00

4/1

7/1

3 1

2:0

04/

18/1

3 0:

004

/18

/13

12

:00

4/19

/13

0:00

4/1

9/1

3 1

2:0

04/

20/1

3 0:

004

/20

/13

12

:00

4/21

/13

0:00

4/2

1/1

3 1

2:0

04/

22/1

3 0:

004

/22

/13

12

:00

4/23

/13

0:00

4/2

3/1

3 1

2:0

04/

24/1

3 0:

004

/24

/13

12

:00

4/25

/13

0:00

4/2

5/1

3 1

2:0

04/

26/1

3 0:

004

/26

/13

12

:00

4/27

/13

0:00

4/2

7/1

3 1

2:0

04/

28/1

3 0:

004

/28

/13

12

:00

4/29

/13

0:00

4/2

9/1

3 1

2:0

04/

30/1

3 0:

004

/30

/13

12

:00

5/1

/13

0:0

05/

1/13

12:

005

/2/1

3 0

:00

Ho

url

y A

vera

ge P

M2

.5 (

ug

/m3

)

Date/Time

EBAM 1 E-BAM 5 USG 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) Unhealthy 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3)

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

Corona Del Mar Preliminary Data: PM2.5 Hourly Average Time Series

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

0

50

100

150

200

250

4/23

/201

3 0:

004/

24/2

013

0:00

4/25

/201

3 0:

004/

26/2

013

0:00

4/27

/201

3 0:

004/

28/2

013

0:00

4/29

/201

3 0:

004/

30/2

013

0:00

5/1

/20

13

0:0

05

/2/2

01

3 0

:00

5/3

/20

13

0:0

05

/4/2

01

3 0

:00

5/5

/20

13

0:0

05

/6/2

01

3 0

:00

5/7

/20

13

0:0

05

/8/2

01

3 0

:00

5/9

/20

13

0:0

05/

10/2

013

0:00

5/11

/201

3 0:

005/

12/2

013

0:00

5/13

/201

3 0:

005/

14/2

013

0:00

5/15

/201

3 0:

005/

16/2

013

0:00

5/17

/201

3 0:

005/

18/2

013

0:00

5/19

/201

3 0:

005/

20/2

013

0:00

5/21

/201

3 0:

005/

22/2

013

0:00

5/23

/201

3 0:

005/

24/2

013

0:00

5/25

/201

3 0:

005/

26/2

013

0:00

5/27

/201

3 0:

005/

28/2

013

0:00

5/29

/201

3 0:

005/

30/2

013

0:00

5/31

/201

3 0:

006

/1/2

01

3 0

:00

6/2

/20

13

0:0

06

/3/2

01

3 0

:00

6/4

/20

13

0:0

06

/5/2

01

3 0

:00

Ho

url

y A

vera

ge P

M2.

5 (u

g/m

3)

Date/Time

Corona del Mar PM2.5 (ug/m3) Corona del Mar PM2.5 B (ug/m3)

USG 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) Unhealthy 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

4/2

7/2

01

3 0

:00

4/2

7/2

01

3 6

:00

4/27

/201

3 12

:00

4/27

/201

3 18

:00

4/2

8/2

01

3 0

:00

4/2

8/2

01

3 6

:00

4/28

/201

3 12

:00

4/28

/201

3 18

:00

4/2

9/2

01

3 0

:00

4/2

9/2

01

3 6

:00

4/29

/201

3 12

:00

4/29

/201

3 18

:00

4/3

0/2

01

3 0

:00

4/3

0/2

01

3 6

:00

4/30

/201

3 12

:00

4/30

/201

3 18

:00

5/1/

2013

0:0

0

Ho

url

y A

vera

ge P

M2.

5 (u

g/m

3 )

Date/Time

Corona del Mar PM2.5 (ug/m3) Corona del Mar PM2.5 B (ug/m3)

USG 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) Unhealthy 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3)

Corona del Mar Preliminary Data: 4/27 to 5/01/13 PM2.5 Hourly Average Time Series

Evening Hours

Sat Sun Mon Tues

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

Balboa Beach Preliminary Data: PM2.5 Hourly Average Time Series

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

0

50

100

150

200

250

4/3

/13

0:0

04/

4/1

3 0

:00

4/5

/13

0:0

04/

6/1

3 0

:00

4/7

/13

0:0

04/

8/1

3 0

:00

4/9

/13

0:0

04/

10/

13 0

:00

4/1

1/13

0:0

04/

12/

13 0

:00

4/1

3/13

0:0

04/

14/

13 0

:00

4/1

5/13

0:0

04/

16/

13 0

:00

4/1

7/13

0:0

04/

18/

13 0

:00

4/1

9/13

0:0

04/

20/

13 0

:00

4/2

1/13

0:0

04/

22/

13 0

:00

4/2

3/13

0:0

04/

24/

13 0

:00

4/2

5/13

0:0

04/

26/

13 0

:00

4/2

7/13

0:0

04/

28/

13 0

:00

4/2

9/13

0:0

04/

30/

13 0

:00

5/1

/13

0:0

05/

2/1

3 0

:00

5/3

/13

0:0

05/

4/1

3 0

:00

5/5

/13

0:0

05/

6/1

3 0

:00

5/7

/13

0:0

05/

8/1

3 0

:00

5/9

/13

0:0

05/

10/

13 0

:00

5/1

1/13

0:0

05/

12/

13 0

:00

5/1

3/13

0:0

05/

14/

13 0

:00

5/1

5/13

0:0

05/

16/

13 0

:00

5/1

7/13

0:0

05/

18/

13 0

:00

5/1

9/13

0:0

05/

20/

13 0

:00

5/2

1/13

0:0

05/

22/

13 0

:00

5/2

3/13

0:0

05/

24/

13 0

:00

5/2

5/13

0:0

05/

26/

13 0

:00

5/2

7/13

0:0

05/

28/

13 0

:00

5/2

9/13

0:0

05/

30/

13 0

:00

5/3

1/13

0:0

06/

1/1

3 0

:00

6/2

/13

0:0

06/

3/1

3 0

:00

6/4

/13

0:0

06/

5/1

3 0

:00

Ho

url

y A

vera

ge P

M2.

5 (u

g/m

3)

Date/Time

Balboa Beach PM2.5 (ug/m3) USG 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) Unhealthy 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3)

Preliminary Results: Maximum Hourly PM2.5

Concentration Comparison

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Station Fire(2009)

July 4th, 2012 South CoastBasin (2012)

HuntingtonBeach

Corona delMar

BalboaBeach

Ma

xim

um

Ho

url

y P

M2.

5 C

on

cen

tra

tio

n

(ug

/m3)

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

Filter analysis

Corona del Mar (3/30 to 4/19), Huntington Beach (4/24 to

current) - PM2.5 Mass (24 hour average) – Daily Samples

• All below 12.5 ug/m3, under the 24 hour NAAQS level (35 ug/m3)

• One day nearly 40 ug/m3, day had very high gusty winds

- PM10 mass (4 hour sample, 4/6) - One Sample Only

• Sample collected from 5 to 9pm with burning activity shown to have PM10 mass concentration of 95 ug/m3.

• 30% higher concentration than sample collected from 1 to 5pm

• Elevated levels of Potassium, an indicator for wood smoke

Preliminary Air Monitoring Conclusions

• Beach fire activity is impacting PM2.5 levels at the beach and extending into neighboring communities

• Concentrations can be over 10 times background levels for short periods of time in beach parking areas, up to 3 times background at residential locations

• 1-hour average PM concentrations can exceed public health guidance levels

• Some measurements are higher than observed across the Basin over a whole year

Proposed Rule 444 Amendments Initial proposal prohibited all beach burning (March 21,

2013)

Revised Language released on June 6, 2013

Provision for cities to remove rings if they are declared to be a public nuisance

All rings more than 700 feet from residences are allowed

Spacing requirements if within 700 feet

100 feet apart, or

50 feet apart if 15 or less pits in a city

No-burn days if high particulate levels are forecast in that coastal area

Only applicable to pits on the sand

Impacts of Revised Proposal Provides additional authority and discretion to cities to

remove fire rings through a nuisance declaration

If a city does not make a nuisance declaration All fire rings outside 700 ft. residential buffer zone are still allowed at

any spacing

Fire rings within 700 ft. zone subject to spacing requirements (50 or 100 ft.)

Burning is subject to coastal “no-burn” days (once in last 3 years)

Net effect: Huntington State Beach: ~30 rings would be moved or spaced out

Doheny State Beach: ~20 of 60 rings would be moved or spaced out

Aliso, San Clemente: slight shifting of rings would meet requirements

Next steps • Seek public input

• Continue field sampling as necessary

• Continue to report findings to public as they become available

• Continue to work with potentially impacted cities and state parks

• Demonstration project for propane and natural gas beach fire options

• Public Hearing scheduled for July 12, 2013