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Abstract Climate change has contributed to more frequent and larger wildfires in Alaska, increasing exposure to harmful wildfire smoke. The primary pollutant of concern is fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) which has been associated with cardiorespiratory effects and all-cause mortality. Access to real-time, proximal PM 2.5 data in most rural Alaska communities is limited. Community-based low-cost air sensors have been distributed in rural Alaska and elsewhere as a means to improve air quality data coverage. While the benefits and challenges of low-cost sensor networks for public health planning are somewhat understood, few studies have examined their use in rural areas or in the context of wildfire smoke. Even fewer have evaluated how easily these sensors can be used and whether their data are actually applied in decision-making. In this study, we identify barriers and facilitators associated with installing, maintaining, and using low-cost sensors in rural Alaska communities. Using a mixed-methods approach guided by an implementation science framework, we interviewed five low-cost sensor network organizers and surveyed 16 sensor hosts from 16 small Alaska communities (<1000 residents). Although sensors were not perceived as challenging to install and maintain, Alaska’s extreme winter weather, patchwork Wi-Fi infrastructure, and limited staffing capacity hindered program operations. Few hosts use sensor data to guide local decision-making, though many more expressed interest in doing so. Investing in workforce capacity, Wi-Fi infrastructure, and training on data interpretation could strengthen the sustainability and effectiveness of sensor networks in Alaska, and likely other rural regions.
Espinosa et al. (Fri,) studied this question.