Resolving air pollution policy conflicts to scale prescribed fire for climate adaptation and air quality

Climate Adaptation Flagship
 

Team: Chris Field, Deborah Sivas, Michael Wara, Michael Mastrandrea

Prescribed fire is a critical tool for reducing wildfire impacts, but regulatory asymmetry under the Clean Air Act (CAA) treats prescribed fire as an intentional pollution source, unlike wildfire smoke, which is exempt. This disparity limits the use of prescribed fire, despite its potential to mitigate air pollution and public health impacts caused by wildfires, which currently affect over 200 million Americans. This proposal seeks to address this issue by convening key stakeholders from the air quality advocacy, prescribed fire, and environmental justice communities to reform the CAA and scale prescribed fire for climate adaptation.