Des Moines' air quality index keeps spiking. Wildfires, prescribed burns might be at fault

With Iowa's air quality index spiking again many Iowans are questioning what is causing such poor air quality in the area.

Some Iowans have suspected that routine burnings are contributing to smoky skies and poor air quality.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires causing smoky Iowa skies, poor air quality this week

This week, local fires won't be to blame for smoky skies and poor air quality in Des Moines. Iowa's skies will be smoky for most of this week due to less common easterly winds pushing smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Ontario into Iowa.

More smoke will be concentrated out east, sparing Iowa from the worst air quality issues.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires also pushed into Des Moines in mid-May causing a stretch of moderate air quality days.

Prescribed burns have been to blame, too. What are they and why are they necessary?

A prescribed burn is a planned fire that is conducted by professionals and used for specific natural resource objectives, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This fire can stimulate growth, help plant reproduction, provides habitat for wildlife and ensures healthy nature. Prescribed burns can also release seeds and add nutrients to the soil, promoting plant species that attract wildlife.

"Well before a match is struck, the fire team considers the safety of people, property, and the natural areas they are managing," according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website.

Who is doing prescribed burns around Des Moines, central Iowa?

In Polk County, it is required to apply for a permit before any sort of burning takes place.

Burning permits are issued by Polk County's Air Quality Division, and a full list of current issued permits can be found on its website. Currently, most burn permits in Polk County are issued for prairie and woodland maintenance on private properties.

Jessica Lown from Polk County Conservation said her department's burning permit expired on May 15, and no prescribed burns have been performed by the county since.

Polk County applies for a permit twice a year, and in that permit process officials describe what they are burning, and where they are burning.

"We only burn when we can, when it's safe to do so, weather permitting," Lown said.

However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a federal entity, follows different burning rules and regulations for areas it manages at Saylorville Lake, where more recent burns have taken place.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has natural resource managers that conduct prescribed burns to help reduce hazardous vegetation buildup that could lead to devastating wildfires if left unchecked. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a burn permit that is valid through Aug. 21, 2023 to burn landscape waste, prairie maintenance and a right-of-way cleanup.

The city of Des Moines also did prescribed burns near the Cownie Soccer Complex and Franklin Avenue Library in early May. Smoke plumes from the fires were visible downtown and caught residents by surprise.

Are prescribed burns affecting Iowa's air quality?

The Iowa DNR says while burning was once a cheap method of disposing of waste, it now poses serious health and environmental concerns.

Because of the products we consume, today's waste is filled with toxic chemicals that didn't even exist 50 years ago. Even smoke from burning leaves, grass, brush, and plants contains high concentrations of pollutants, according to the Iowa DNR. These pollutants can include carbon monoxide, particulate matter, toxic chemicals, and reactive gasses that can contribute to smog formation.

"Once pollutants are in the air, there is no way to prevent them from depositing on crops and water sources," according to Iowa DNR.

Particulate matter, which includes airborne particles such as dust, dirt, soot and smoke, can contribute to pollution and cause health defects. This pollution can cause chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, decreased lung function, coughing, painful breathing, cardiac problems and heart attacks, as well as a variety of serious environmental impacts such as acidification of lakes and streams and nutrient depletion in soils and water bodies.

Clean air regulations have become stricter as research has shown that human health is further impacted than previously thought.

It's estimated that more than 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year are caused by poor air quality, according to the National Weather Service.

How does Iowa's air quality in 2023 compare to previous years?

In 2021, Iowa had 80 moderate air quality days, and one day that was unhealthy for sensitive groups, with zero days out of the year being unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous, according to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency.

In 2022, Iowa only had 37 moderate days and zero days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous.

Since May 7, Des Moines had 17 moderate days and one day rated unhealthy for sensitive groups.

On May 24, the National Weather Service issued an air quality alert for all of Iowa as ozone levels were nearing federal health standards. Before this alert, there had not been one sent out since 2021.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why is Des Moines air quality bad so often? Smoke, fires among causes