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Abstract
Prescribed burning is a key tool for managing forests in the Southeastern US, but it releases black carbon (BC), a pollutant that deteriorates air quality. This study evaluated BC during a prescribed burn at Jones Center in Georgia, using MA-200 sensors located Upwind, Downwind, and at an Apartment, while monitoring meteorological conditions. Non-parametric tests and regression models showed that the Downwind locations recorded elevated BC levels, with statistically significant differences. The influence of meteorology on BC dispersal was location-specific: wind direction strongly affected BC levels at the Apartment location, while humidity and temperature displayed varying significance based on location and timings. Results indicate the role of local conditions in influencing pollutant behavior during burns. This study adds to the understanding of how emissions from such burns impact air quality in unmonitored rural areas and pinpoints that the meteorological context is important for exposure analysis.