Flint Hills Smoke Management
Plan Development


Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan | Meetings | Monitoring Data and Analysis |
Guides and Technical Documents
SMP Website
April Burn Restrictions
Affected Counties - Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Geary, Greenwood, Johnson, Lyon, Marion, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Sedgwick, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte
The Flint Hills region of Kansas is the largest tract of unplowed tallgrass prairie in North America and one of the few large areas of native prairie remaining in the United States. Range management practices used throughout the region dictate that fire be used as a tool to prevent intrusion of weeds and woody plants into the stand of prairie grass present, as well as a means to improve the productivity of the rangeland for ranching practices. For the benefits of fire as a rangeland management tool to be realized, burning must be initiated at the proper time. Burning of the tallgrass prairie generally occurs in early to mid April. With the majority of prescribed burning activities occurring during this time period, a large amount of particulate matter and ozone precursors are released into the air during a relatively short time period.
In past years during the burning season, Kansas Ambient Air Monitoring Network monitors have recorded elevated concentrations of both PM10 and ozone as well as other pollutants downwind of the Flint Hills region. This has led to an increased interest in the air quality, not only in Kansas, but throughout the United States during the time frame in which the majority of prescribed burning activities occur.
Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan
The state of Kansas, with the assistance of many stakeholders, developed a smoke management plan to address air quality concerns caused by the annual burning of the tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan Website
Concerns about the impacts of burning in the Flint Hills region on air quality prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to organize the Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Advisory Committee. The Committee began the process of developing a Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan through a series of meetings in 2010. KDHE reached out to a diverse group of stakeholders to observe these meetings and provide access to information about this issue. This group of diverse interests included livestock producers and ranchers, local governments, conservation and agribusiness organizations, Kansas State University, fire protection agencies and other interested parties.
Wichita Meeting December 16, 2010
- Wichita Meeting Press Release
- Wichita Meeting Presentation
- Wichita Meeting Response to Comments
- Wichita Meeting Attendance Sheet
- Wichita Meeting SMP Fact Sheet
- Draft Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan
Emporia Meeting November 15, 2010
- November 15, 2010 E-mail Invitation
- November 15, 2010 Meeting Agenda
- November 15, 2010 Meeting Presentation
- November 15, 2010 Meeting Attendance List
- Emporia E-mail Invitation
- Emporia August 2010 Meeting Agenda
- Emporia August 2010 Meeting Presentation
- Emporia August 2010 Meeting Attendance List
Newton Meeting April 9, 2010
- Newton E-mail Invitation
- Newton April 2010 Meeting Agenda
- Newton April 2010 Meeting Presentation
- Newton April 2010 Meeting Attendance List
- April 8-11, 2010 Air Quality Event
- Downwind Monitors with Ozone Exceedances in Smoke Plumes, Observed by Satellite Imagery
- April 8-11, 2010 Event Power Point Version (Shows Animated Maps)
- April 8-11, 2010 Event Adobe Acrobat Version
- NOAA Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product (Current and Archive Fire and Smoke Maps)
Guides and Technical Documents
- Relevant Websites
- EPA Cover Memo to Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires
- EPA 1998 Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires
- Kansas Statutes Relevant To Issue
- Title 40.50.14 Exceptional Events Document
- Exceptional Events Rule 2007
- Exceptional Events Rule Revised 2016
- National Interagency Fire Center - Smoke Center
- The National Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils Guide to Smoke Management
- Meteorological Conditions For Favorable Smoke Dispersal
- KDHE - Mixing Height, Transport Wind, and Category Day Information