Take action to protect workers from wildfire smoke exposure

Outdoor workers are at especially high risk of developing wildfire-smoke related symptoms. Minimize the health risks to workers by reducing exposure time to wildfire smoke. Each workplace is unique and requires a unique approach in protecting their workers from wildfire smoke. The following are some suggestions:

• Provide enclosed buildings, structures, or vehicles with filtered air;

• Relocate work to less smoky areas;

• Reschedule work for a time with less smoke pollution;

• Avoid work that creates dust, fumes, or smoke; 

• Reduce work intensity;

• Provide additional rest periods; and

• Provide respirators, such as an N95.

The Department of Labor & Industries' rules for wildfire smoke are based on a datapoint called PM2.5, which is a measure of particle matter present in the air that is 2.5 microns or smaller. We talk about protections that are required in terms of both PM2.5 levels and the corresponding AQI because AQI is an easily accessible and common standard people use. 

The following table summarizes the key requirements of the wildfire smoke rule for covered employers:

Current PM2.5 (μg/m3)	NowCast Air Quality Index for PM2.5	Required Protections
0.0 - 20.4	0 - 71​	Prepare a written wildfire smoke response plan. Provide wildfire smoke training to employees. Watch the PM2.5 conditions and forecasts. Prepare a two-way communication system. Make provisions for prompt medical attention and permit that medical attention without retaliation.
20.5 - 35.4	72 - 100​	All of the above and: Notify employees of PM2.5 conditions. Ensure only trained employees work outdoors. Consider implementing exposure controls Consider providing voluntary use respirators.
35.5 - 250.4	101 - 350​	All of the above and: Implement exposure controls.​ Make N95 respirators available for voluntary use.​
250.5 - 500.3	351 - 848​​	All of the above and: Ensure workers experiencing symptoms requiring immediate medical attention be moved to a location that ensures sufficient clean air. Directly distribute N95 respirators to employees for voluntary use.
500.4 - 554.9	849 - 956​	All of the above and: Implement a complete required use respiratory protection program, including fit-testing, medical evaluations, requiring employees to be clean-shaven, and requiring the use of particulate respirators.​
555 or more	957 or more​	All of the above and: Require respirators with an assigned protection factor (APF) of 25 or more.​

Smoke clearing in the west but fire weather remains critical

Widespread smoke impacts continue across the state, as seen in today's satellite imagery. 

Satellite imagery from 8/6/2026 (Terra/MODIS).

When will air quality improve?

In Western WA, expect slow and gradual improvement today. Winds are shifting onshore but the relatively weak push of cleaner air means smoke may linger longer than initially expected. More noticeable clearing should develop overnight and into Friday, with much improved air quality through the weekend. 

Air Quality Alerts for Grays Harbor, Whatcom, and Skagit counties expire today at 5pm. Air Quality Alerts for Southwest WA (Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum) expire at the end of the day today. Due to expected lingering smoke especially in the foothills and Cascades, Air Quality Alerts for King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston Counties have been extended until tomorrow morning at 8am. Pooling smoke in valleys can take longer to clear, so keep an eye on nearby air quality monitors for the most up-to-date conditions. 

In Eastern WA, impaired air quality will continue for most of the region due to light winds. Some slight improvement is possible in South Central Washington this afternoon, but overall air quality conditions will remain challenging until winds strengthen. Gradual improvement is expected Friday into the weekend for areas not directly downwind of active fires. Communities east of ongoing fires will remain highly susceptible to smoke impacts. 

Air Quality Alerts remain in effect for all counties in Central and Eastern Washington until further notice.

Upcoming fire weather in Eastern WA

Unfortunately, Eastern WA won't catch much of a break. Critical fire weather conditions return Friday and Saturday, with strong winds and low relative humidity across the region. However, winds will not be as strong as last weekend's event with forecasted sustained winds of 10-20 mph and gusts 20-30 mph. While the increased winds will help disperse smoke, they also will likely increase smoke production from both existing fires and any new starts. The combination of hot, dry, and windy conditions will keep fire behavior elevated.

How does this smoke event compare to previous years?

Checking back in on this summer's air quality compared to previous notable smoke years--the plot below looks at a timeseries of the statewide daily average of all monitoring sites during the summer for different regions of the state. So far smoke impacts this summer are comparable to the timing of smoke impacts in previous notable smoke years, and it's only early August. It's also shaping up to be a record breaking year for acres burned across Washington and Oregon.

Air monitoring sites in the Chelan and Wenatchee areas have also recorded PM2.5 concentrations corresponding to hazardous air quality. While some AQI graphics appear to "top out" at an AQI of 500, the hazardous range does extend beyond that, and air monitoring instruments do measure and report above an AQI of 500. Concentrations within the hazardous AQI level used to be very rare in the state, but unfortunately have become more common during extreme smoke events. 

For those in areas of impaired air quality, Tuesday's post has great tips for staying safe and reducing smoke exposure. 

Smoke continues to build statewide, gradual improvement expected later this week

Smoke Increasing

The most widespread smoke impacts of the season are being felt on Tuesday with smoke reaching the surface both east and west of the Cascade crest. 

One thing that has spared the western Washington lowlands so far is some cleaner air coming down from the Strait of Georgia between British Columbia and Vancouver Island. This has been scouring out some of the smoke along and west of I-5 from around Everett northward to Bellingham. These winds are expected to persist into Wednesday and may ultimately prevent worse smoke impacts in these areas.

DNR Pano Cam from Orcas Island looking toward Bellingham.

Further inland and to the south, AQI levels on smoke monitors and sensors along the west slopes of the Cascades and in the southern Puget Sound continue to creep upward as smoke travels down the rivers and highways towards foothill communities like Darrington, Sultan, North Bend, and Enumclaw.

Further south, smoke continues to increase along I-5, especially around the Portland/Vancouver metro as smoke moves toward the west through the Columbia River Gorge. 

In eastern Washington, widespread Unhealthy conditions are expected to continue. Locally Very Unhealthy to even Hazardous conditions are likely in close proximity to the fires. The only sliver of eastern Washington that has seen improved air quality over the last 48 hours is from Oroville to Northport.

Air Quality Alert map

Air Quality Alerts (AQAs) will continue in central and eastern Washington until further notice. In western Washington, AQAs have been expanded to include Kitsap, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Mason, Grays Harbor, and the eastern portions of Whatcom and Skagit counties. AQAs in Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties are currently set to expire at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, all others expire at 5:00 p.m. Thursday.

What Can I Do?

If you are reading this, you're off to a great start! One of the best things you can do during smoke events is to keep tabs on your local air quality. Smoke can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the day. If you can, wait for the air quality to improve before going outside. For those living near active fires, check the forecast from the Air Resource Advisor assigned to the fire.

Information from NWS Seattle

It's also important to keep your indoor air clean. Avoid activities that kick up dust or consider using the oven instead of the stove. If you have air conditioning, make sure it's set to recirculate so you don't pull in smoky outdoor air. Run a portable air cleaner if you have one.

You may also consider purchasing some supplies to help you out. A NIOSH-approved N95 mask can be great if you need to go outside while it's smoky. If you don't have a portable air cleaner, consider making a DIY Box Fan Filter.

Not only is the smoke building, but so is the heat. Stay hydrated, keep curtains and window shades closed, and avoid using the oven or stove during the hottest parts of the day. Put some ice packs or damp cloths in the freezer to keep yourself cool. For more information, visit the Department of Health's Hot Weather Safety Guidance.

If you are unable to stay cool at home, visit 211 Washington to find a cooling center near you. If a cooling center is not on the 211 map, contact your local health jurisdiction.

When Will the Smoke Clear?

This is always a tough question to answer while the smoke is still building, but we will start to see a gradual shift in the winds on Wednesday that will at least start the clearing process in western Washington. Without a strong push of marine air, it's going to take time. This is why most AQAs have been extended until Thursday evening. 

East of the Cascades, smoke is going to be much more stubborn until stronger westerly winds arrive. Some improvement may take place along the east slopes of the Cascades Thursday afternoon and evening, but the stronger winds that really scour out the smoke won't arrive until Friday. One they do, areas east-northeast of the fires will once again be in the path of the smoke.

Fire Weather

Speaking of strong winds, we do have some fire weather concerns worth mentioning. In the western Columbia Gorge, a Red Flag Warning is in effect until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday for locally gusty winds out of the east combined with low relative humidity.

Looking ahead, the winds that will help scour the smoke in eastern Washington will also contribute to critical fire weather conditions Friday and Saturday. While not as strong as this past Saturday, sustained winds around 15-20mph with gusts between 35-45mph will overlap with very low relative humidity values. In addition to growth on existing fires, we may once again be tracking smoke from new, fast-moving fires.

Explosive wildfire activity over the weekend and smoke spreading across the state

Current Situation

Multiple large fires are burning across the state, with no rest in sight for firefighters.  Spokane experienced devastating wildfire impacts over the weekend and the situation is still very active, with hundreds of structures burned causing potentially hazardous air quality.  Other fires across the state grew exponentially and are producing large amounts of smoke.  Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy air quality continues to inundate many parts of the state and more areas are expected to have smoke impacts later today and through the week.  Predominant winds have shifted, allowing smoke to cover the Columbia Basin and travel over parts of Western Washington, including the Seattle metro area.  

MODIS Imagery for Monday morning (Aug. 3).

Eastern Washington has several large active fires include the Autumn Lane Fire, Old Trails Fire, Mitre Rock Fire, Modrite Fire, Hudspeth Fire, Bradeen Hill Fire, Kaiser Canyon Fire, and Paradise Fire.

Central Washington also has several large active fires, including the Little Giant Fire, Sinlahekin Fire, Ptarmigan Fire, Luna Fire, and the Border 2 Fire.  Fires to the north in BC also continue to be active.

For more information about these fires, including evacuation notices and recent updates, check Watch Duty.

Air Quality Alerts

AQAs have been extended to all of Eastern and Central Washington until further notice.  AQAs are also being issued today for parts of Western Washington, including Pierce, King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Thurston, Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties until at least Wednesday afternoon. Additional alerts may be issued for other counties in Western Washington if conditions deteriorate.  

Forecasted Conditions

Fire and smoke will be very dynamic over the next few days.  A strong high pressure system off the coast is expected to persist this week, resulting in hot and dry conditions and winds coming from the north / northeast.  This will allow smoke to engulf most of Eastern/Central Washington through the week.  Haze will also be visible in Western Washington and smoke is expected to mix down into the Puget Sound lowlands later today. Smoke impacts are expected in southwest Washington this afternoon. The high pressure ridge is expected to stick around a few days, so smoke is expected to persist in the meantime.

Finding Clean Air

When smoky conditions are this widespread, it's important to stay inside where there is cleaner indoor air.  Run portable air cleaners, set your HVAC system to recirculate, and consider wearing an N95 mask if you go outside to protect your health.  You can find clean air shelters listed on the 2-1-1 site.

In addition to smoke, health impacts can be amplified when it is hot and smoky, so be sure to pay attention to any symptoms and check out DOH's resources on how to protect yourself from smoke.

Extremely Critical Fire Weather and Worsening Smoke This Weekend

A Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning is in effect Saturday afternoon and evening across much of Central and Eastern Washington. NWS is highlighting extremely critical fire weather conditions that could lead to rapidly changing fire and smoke behavior throughout the weekend.

This weekend

Extreme conditions tomorrow with the passage of a dry cold front will lead to significant smoke production from ongoing and emerging wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. While there may be a brief air quality improvement tomorrow from a strong push of southwest winds, areas closest to active fires will continue to see significant smoke impacts. By Saturday evening, shifting winds behind the cold front to west and northwest will drive smoke southward into the Columbia Basin and Spokane.

Smoke will persist on Sunday. The greatest impacts will continue to be downwind from active wildfires and in valley communities (including Methow, Chelan, and Entiat). Another burst of winds from the north on Sunday evening will again push smoke south across the Columbia Basin.

Southeast and South Central Washington will remain susceptible to smoke from fires in Oregon as well as smoke drifting south from fires in northern Washington and British Columbia.

Air Quality Alerts have been updated to include the following counties and will be reassessed on Monday morning: Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Walla Walla. 

Current Air Quality Alerts in effect in Washington State through at least the weekend.

Looking ahead across the state

Forecasted lighter winds next week may unfortunately allow smoke to linger and spread more broadly across Central and Eastern WA. It is also very likely that light offshore flow will allow smoke to drain into Western WA early next week, with potential for the most significant smoke impacts in Whatcom and Skagit Counties as well as mountain valley towns in King and Snohomish Counties. Expect the next blog update Monday as conditions evolve.

Chinook helicopter assisting suppression operations on the Modrite Fire in Northeast WA. Source: Inciweb. 

Smoke persists and critical fire weather looms

Map of active large fires in Washington and northern Oregon.

Fire Roundup

The Kaiser Canyon Fire on the Colville Reservation remains the state's largest active fire at 129,124 acres and 27% containment.

On the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest north of Conconully, the Sinlahekin Fire is the fastest-growing fire in the state and has burned 10,527 acres since it started Sunday afternoon and is 0% contained.

In the North Cascades, the Luna, Border 2, and Ptarmigan fires all remain active. The Ptarmigan Fire has been the most active, burning an estimated 18,000 acres and is 0% contained.

Further south and also on the Okanogan-Wenatchee, the Little Giant Fire is 25,480 acres and 0% contained.

Near the north end of Kachess Lake, the Three Queens Fire has burned 88 acres and remains 0% contained, however, minimal fire activity has been observed the last few days.

Jumping over to northeast Washington, the Modrite Fire is burning on the Colville Reservation just west of the Columbia River. The fire has been more active in recent days and has grown to the north. It is currently 19,475 acres and 63% contained.

Across the Columbia River and to the north, the Bradeen Hill Fire is at 4,167 acres and remains 0% contained.

In Grant County, the Railroad Fire near Beverly and Schwana is 100% contained after burning over 8,000 acres.

In southeast Washington, the Paradise Fire has shown minimal growth the past several days along the Washington-Oregon border in far southwest Columbia County. It's currently sitting at 765 acres and is 0% contained.

In Yakima County, the Ransier Fire near White Swan burned 1,302 acres and is 50% contained. All evacuations have been reduced to Level 1.

Finally, over to western Washington. In Lewis County, the Skyo Fire continues to burn west of Packwood. Fire growth has been slow but steady and it continues to produce smoke in the Cowlitz valley. Currently the fire is 202 acres and 25% contained.

Visible satellite imagery showing smoke blanketing the northwestern U.S.

Smoke Update & Outlook

Smoke has been persistent the past few days. Tuesday afternoon saw another round of more widespread breezy conditions. While this did lead to growth on existing incidents, it also brought improved air quality to locations not in the path of smoke plumes or near active fires. 

On Wednesday, some of the air quality improvements carried over into the afternoon. At the same time, any smoke that settled Tuesday night struggled to clear out with lighter winds unable scour out the smoke.

Downwind from active wildfires, conditions continue to deteriorate in the afternoon and evening. With persistent west/southwest winds, the same communities that have been impacted by Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy air the past several days will continue to see similar smoke impacts both today and Friday.

Overnight, smoke draining down valley remains a concern for areas like the Methow Valley, the Okanogan Valley, Conconully, Chelan, and Entiat. As the Little Giant Fire increases in size and pushes further southeast, increasing impacts from Plain to Leavenworth can be expected. Very Unhealthy readings will be possible in the early morning hours. On days with lighter winds, smoke will struggle to clear in the afternoon.

Smoke from fires in Oregon will continue to impact south-central and southeast Washington. Impacts will continue to be mostly in the Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. One area to watch moving forward will be Klickitat County. The Grasshopper Fire, burning east of Mount Hood, continues to grow. Smoke overnight may eventually settle along the Columbia River.

Fire Weather Forecast

Thursday and Friday, winds will be similar to Wednesday. Some locally stronger gusts will develop in the Kittitas Valley and through the Columbia River Gorge in the late afternoon hours and early evening. Despite the lack of widespread stronger winds, fires will continue to burn actively and may produce significant smoke plumes.

On Saturday, critical fire weather is expected in central and eastern Washington as another dry cold front sweeps across the state. Low relative humidity and wind gusts out of the west between 30-50mph will fuel continued fire growth and lead to rapid spread of any new ignitions. With a more westerly component to the wind, communities east of the fires may see greater smoke impacts.

A Fire Weather Watch is in effect on Saturday. Image courtesy: NWS Spokane

Looking ahead, offshore flow may develop early next week. This will change how each fire behaves and may bring smoke back into western Washington. It's too early to tell specific impacts, stay tuned to the blog for more updates!

Smoke Continues in Eastern WA as Fires Grow

Fires continue to grow across the region, and new starts continue to emerge as dry and unstable conditions persist. With so much fire on the landscape, smoke is becoming a familiar sight in Eastern WA; for many communities it will likely remain that way for the foreseeable future. 

Satellite imagery (Aqua) from Sunday, July 26 showcasing significant smoke plumes in Washington and Oregon. Yesterday's daily average PM2.5 concentrations shown in the circles. 

Across Southeast WA, intermittent periods of impaired air quality continue to drift in from numerous Oregon fires. Northeast and north-central WA are seeing widespread smoke impacts from active fires in their region. Several notable fires are currently contributing to regional smoke:

• The Kaiser Canyon Fire in Nespelem has grown to over 120,000 acres and will remain active. Areas nearby and to the north and east will continue experiencing smoke. The Pearl Hill Fire SW of the Kaiser Canyon Fire began Saturday but exhibited minimal fire activity yesterday.
• The Bradeen Hill Fire (over 3,400 acres) near Gifford, WA in Stevens County started on Saturday and spread rapidly with strong winds. Smoke will impact nearby communities in addition to areas to the north and northeast such as Colville. 
• West of Tonasket, the Sinlahekin Fire is almost 1,000 acres and is burning in challenging terrain.
• In the north Cascades, smoke from the Ptarmigan Fire (2,700 acres) has been impacting the Methow Valley. Expect continued growth from this fire.
• The Little Giant Fire 22 miles northwest of Leavenworth (now over 22,000 acres) continues to exhibit extreme fire behavior; an impressive smoke plume was visible in Western WA on Saturday.
• Numerous Oregon fires are sending smoke across the border to Southeast WA, leading to intermittent smoke impacts and hazy skies in Southeast WA. 

Breezy afternoon winds out of the west and southwest today and tomorrow will help to clear out smoke in areas not immediately downwind of active fires. However, impaired air quality will continue in any areas to the north and east of active and emerging fires. Smoke will also settle into downwind valley communities in the evening and overnight hours leading to Unhealthy or Very Unhealthy air quality. 

Air Quality Alerts have been extended until Wednesday morning for the following counties due to current and expected smoke impacts: Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Okanogan, and Stevens. 

Conditions Favor Continued Fire Growth

Given the upcoming windy and dry weather and number of fires burning, conditions remain primed for continued fire growth. Any new or existing fires have a high probability of ignition and rapid spread. With the dynamic conditions and potential for increased fire growth, smoke and visibility impacts are largely variable--continue to keep an eye on changing conditions and we'll update as needed.

Checking in on this summer's air quality

It's still only July, yet smoke impacts have already been widespread across Eastern Washington. Unfortunately, smoky conditions are likely to continue. The plot below looks at a timeseries of the statewide daily average of all monitoring sites over the summer, broken up by region. The black line is the 2026 data to date, while the gray lines represent timeseries from previous years. Many areas have already experienced quite a few impaired air quality days, and we're only partway through the season.

Strong winds through the weekend may help air quality for some, but will also fuel fire growth

Air Quality Alerts will remain in effect through Monday morning.

Air Quality Roundup

Fires across the region continue to burn actively as areas east of the Cascades remain in a hot, dry, and windy weather pattern. With increasing winds, air quality will likely improve in some areas during the day, but poor air quality will continue downstream of active fires and during the overnight hours. Air Quality Alerts have been extended until at least Monday morning for several counties in central and eastern Washington. 

Air quality remains impaired in the immediate area surrounding active fires, particularly near the Kaiser Canyon Fire which has now burned over 106,000 acres in southeastern Okanogan County and far southwestern Ferry County. Increasing southwesterly winds will help improve the air quality to Moderate in the afternoon, but smoke is still likely to settle near the fire overnight and may reach Very Unhealthy or even Hazardous levels locally.

Strengthening southwest winds will impact the Kaiser Canyon and Modrite fires, especially on Saturday. This could result in impressive smoke plumes which may worsen air quality impacts for areas like Republic, Kettle Falls, Inchelium, and Colville. The heaviest smoke is most likely from late afternoon through the morning and may reach Unhealthy levels.

The Little Giant, Ptarmigan, and Border 2 fires will continue to burn actively in the Cascades this weekend. Smoke has been settling overnight in the Methow Valley, along Lake Chelan, along the south end of Lake Wenatchee, and particularly in the Entiat River Valley. With strong winds coming across the Cascades, these areas may experience large fluctuations in air quality throughout the day. Overnight, smoke is likely to continue traveling down these valleys resulting in locally Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy air quality.

In the Columbia Basin, the Railroad Fire will continue to produce locally poor air quality near Mattawa and Royal City. Near the Tri-Cities, forward progress of the Locust Grove Fire has been stopped and fire activity is expected to decrease. Minimal smoke impacts have been observed.

The Paradise Fire along the state line in southwest Columbia County continues to grow gradually. In Oregon, several large fire complexes continue to burn and produce smoke. With persistent southwesterly winds, smoke and haze will continue to travel toward the northeast and cross into Washington. While some smoke will remain elevated, surface impacts are likely to continue near Walla Walla, the Blue Mountains, and for portions of the Palouse. Locally Unhealthy readings are possible mainly during the overnight and early morning hours.

Critical Fire Weather

Red Flag Warnings in effect through Saturday evening.

Critical fire weather conditions are expected to develop Friday afternoon and evening and will reach a peak on Saturday. Red Flag Warnings are in effect for most areas east of the Cascades due to the hot, dry, and windy conditions. Widespread wind gusts between 35-45mph on Saturday will fuel continued active fire behavior and lead to rapid spread of any new ignitions.

Even though the winds may help improve air quality in some areas, it's important to keep on our toes. New fires can develop quickly, and smoke from new ignitions can arrive suddenly with little warning. 

Lingering Smoke Clears as New Smoke Plumes Take Shape

Air Quality Alerts

Air Quality Alerts (AQAs) in Washington were expanded today due to current conditions.  The map below shows all AQAs currently in effect.  AQAs in the Vancouver/Portland area are due to lingering haze and expected ozone today.  AQAs in Eastern and Central Washington cover most of the region due to wildfire smoke, and will be reassessed on Friday morning.

Air Quality Alerts continued (dark grey) and new (light grey) with fire locations in orange. 
Also shown are Red Flag Warnings (pink) and AirNow PM2.5 AQI markers (1 pm PDT).

Forecasted Conditions

It's a mixed bag of modest clearing coupled with new smoke plumes developing today.  The extreme heat is leading to fire growth in many areas, as satellite imagery shows new plumes emerging from fires in the Cascades.  Meanwhile, the fires in the Colville Reservation and in Oregon continue to produce large swaths of smoke.  We expect cooling and some moisture west of the Cascades in the next few days, which will also help clear the air.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast also calls for more lightning, which could lead to more fire ignitions.  Furthermore, the Columbia Basin will continue to see extreme heat and fire activity across the region will continue.  

Given the current situation, we expect significant smoke to be especially problematic around the Colville Reservation.  The Kaiser Canyon fire has burnt over 80,000 acres and will continue to grow as critical fire weather continues.  The Modrite fire isn't growing as large (9,000 acres), but is still producing large amounts of smoke today.  A new Air Resource Advisor has been assigned to the area, offering smoke outlooks for Northeastern Washington.

There are several smaller fires around Ross Lake, on both sides of the Canadian border.  While these fires don't pose much of an immediate threat to populated communities, their location will make it difficult to manage these fires, and significant growth is expected.  This means residents near the North Cascades should expect intermittent smoke impacts from these fires.  The Little Giant fire (north of Lake Wenatchee) is also on the smaller side, but its location is concerning for residents of Chelan and Douglas counties.  Smoke has increased in Plain, Entiat, Wenatchee, etc. and while there is expected clearing tomorrow, the fire will also grow and produce more smoke.

Wrap Up

It's looking like it's going to be one of those years again, where Eastern and Central Washington are hit by smoke events continuously throughout the summer.  We are on pace to have one of the worst wildfire seasons across the region in recent history.  So, while long-term forecasts are always uncertain, there's no doubt that smoke events will be a regularly recurring theme this year.  Plan ahead, stay up to date, and find clean air where you can!

GOES animation from AerosolWatch - July 22, 2026 (12 pm to 3 pm). 

Poor Air Quality Continues

Impaired air quality continues across Eastern Washington, with a significant amount of smoke lingering in the atmosphere from local and regional fires. Light winds are providing little help in dispersing the smoke.

GOES-West satellite imagery (July 21, 1046 PDT)

Fires of note in Washington:

• Kaiser Canyon Fire in Nespelem grew another 2,600 acres overnight and is now over 60,000 acres. Hot and dry conditions will continue to lead to fire growth. 
• Modrite Fire near Inchelium has grown to almost 8,000 acres.
• Little Giant Fire is burning in a remote part of the Glacier Peak Wildnerness about 41 miles northwest of Leavenworth. Currently almost 800 acres, it's located in challenging terrain and will continue to grow with the hot and dry weather. Smoke impacts to downwind communities (Plain, Leavenworth, Wenatchee) will continue as the fire remains active.

In Eastern WA, Air Quality Alerts are in place for the following counties through at least tomorrow morning: Benton, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, and Walla Walla Counties. [UPDATE July 22 11am: Air Quality Alerts in Eastern WA have been extended through at least Friday morning.]

Continued light winds today will keep smoke in Eastern WA, with the greatest smoke impacts closest to active fires. Expect increased smoke impacts in the Columbia Basin throughout today as well in addition to continued localized impacts in the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla areas from Oregon fires. Thanks to an increase in winds from the west, gradual improvement will likely begin Wednesday evening. Unfortunately, the increase in winds also brings critical fire weather; smoke impacts will evolve with any new fires and increased fire growth.  

In Western WA, expect upper-level haze to continue today, with the majority of the smoke remaining aloft in the atmosphere. At the surface, air quality conditions will be mostly Moderate with periods of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups possible in Eastern King and Eastern Snohomish Counties as well as communities at higher elevation (above about 2,000 feet above sea level). Elevated ozone concentrations may also contribute to air quality impacts in Eastern King and Eastern Pierce Counties. Cleaner air and clearer skies should return Wednesday evening with onshore flow. Air Quality Alerts continue through tomorrow morning in Skagit and Whatcom Counties.

Heat and Smoke

In addition to smoke, most of the state is under heat advisories. Health impacts can be amplified when it is hot and smoky, so be sure to pay attention to any symptoms and check out DOH's resources on how to protect yourself from smoke. 

Smoke from the Little Giant Fire NW of Leavenworth (Inciweb, July 20).