Western WA outlook: Some smoke upstairs, but good on the ground floor…

Western Washington has mostly lucked out so far this year when it comes to wildfire smoke. We can thank a steady flow of clean air from the Pacific Ocean, except for a short visit from that in-law we’re all trying to forget, a certain heat-dome that probably deserves its own name. But I’ll save that for another time.

Anyway, that steady flow of clean air can’t hold up all summer, and indeed it seems to be changing on Friday, Saturday, and into Sunday. The HRRR model shows a decent plume arriving in western Washington late Friday afternoon, with another wave heading in overnight and into Saturday. Here’s some more details:

So far, the Pacific Northwest has mostly been getting clean marine air flowing west to east . But a ripple in the pressure patterns has sent smoke from Northern California and Oregon to the northwest, and right for us. This is forecast to arrive late Friday afternoon. (See the first figure, which shows the sum of smoke at all levels, like looking down from a satellite) The pressure gradient in central and eastern Washington, and further east, will also shift on Friday and Saturday and start sending smoke to us, too. Saturday late afternoon, we’ll get another wave of smoke from central and eastern Washington and British Columbia.   

But what does this mean for Western Washington air quality? … it looks to be a classic upstairs-downstairs situation, in which most of us in the lowlands of Puget Sound and Western Washington will likely be spared, while smoke passes overhead.

While two waves of smoke are expected to reach our skies, they’ll be at 2 km or higher (see the second figure), and the situation at surface should be very different. Over the weekend, there will still be a pressure gradient at the surface from the coast to the western side of the Cascades. So, clean marine should continue to push in, to at least the foothills. Although the upstairs smoke and the downstairs marine air generally keep to themselves, there’s a chance that a few of the upstairs visitors might trickle downstairs and push us to MODERATE air quality.

To add to this mix, the warmer temperatures are bringing us elevated ozone (smog) conditions. The atmosphere cooks up ozone from the emissions of cars, trucks, industry, and even plants. In the summer, when the temperatures get turned up to the 80s and 90s, the ozone can build up to levels that are considered Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Because the “cooking” of the urban emissions takes time and the winds during these hot episodes are to the east, the high ozone levels mostly occur in the foothills of the Cascades and not in the urban core. Today (Friday) we’re likely to see highs around 90, which means ozone might reach Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Saturday will still be hot, but will have some clouds, so the “cooking” won’t be as fast, so we should stay in the Moderate air quality category, for ozone, and therefore overall… assuming no smoke sneaks down from upstairs.

If the forecast holds, the Puget Sound should continue to have GOOD to MODERATE air quality downstairs, even though the upstairs will look hazy. And, hopefully, we won’t get much lightning in the Cascades.  

Eastern WA smoke and weekend outlook (watch for a Western WA outlook tomorrow)

Spare a thought for our neighbors in Okanogan County who are facing what appears to be the earliest start to smoke season. The plot below shows how fine particle pollution levels have evolved between June and September each year since permanent monitors were established in the county. This year (thick red line) spiked earlier than other years, but thankfully not as high as some previous years which we all prefer to forget.

This morning's satellite picture shows how south winds from yesterday have continued to push the smoke northward. However this upper level wind pattern can only do so much with high pressure building in to the area. 

No doubt the British Columbians love us dearly for all that. 

Good news is that a decent amount of rain is expected in the North Cascades Sunday into Monday, aiding firefighting efforts. But first we've got to get through a scorching weekend with little wind. An Air Quality Alert is in effect for the northern counties. 

Elsewhere in eastern WA

We expect some smoke from Oregon fires to start moving over the Columbia Basin from Friday, causing Moderate air which could later degrade to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Here's a snapshot of all the different forecasts (aka "ensemble models") we have for Spokane and Colville, for the next 5 days. Although there's a wide spread among predictions, Unhealthy air cannot be ruled out. 

Please use the resources on this blog to safeguard your health during smoke events.

Check out the technicalese explanation of our ensemble smoke forecast system here. 

7/27/2021 Smoke Blog Update

We've implemented a minor redesign to the blog and added a new tab for our readers to quickly and easily access the custom smoke forecasts prepared by Air Resource Advisors assigned to incident management teams working in Washington. Notice the new tab along the top border of the blog content area and click on "LOCAL SMOKE OUTLOOKS" to access the forecasts.

Interested in smoke forecasts prepared for other states? You can find the full set of smoke outlooks prepared by Air Resource Advisors at this link: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks  

North Central WA Smoke Outlook for 7/26 - 7/27

 

7/26/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Monday, July 26, 2021 - Smoke Outlook for Colville Reservation #ColvilleReservationFires

A detailed version of this Outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/newashington

*This Outlook was produced through the support of the incident management teams assigned to the Summit Trail and Chuweah Creek fires on the Colville Reservation to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Pronostico de Humo para 25/07 - 26/07 North Central Washington Cedar Ck, Delancy, Cub Creek 2

 

Smoke Outlook for 7/25 - 7/26 North Central Washington

 

7/25/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Sunday, July 25, 2021 - Smoke Outlook for Colville Reservation #ColvilleReservationFires

A detailed version of this Outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/newashington

*This Outlook was produced through the support of the incident management teams assigned to the Summit Trail and Chuweah Creek fires on the Colville Reservation to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

7/24/2021 What's an Air Resource Advisor?

Have you noticed some of the smoke outlooks created specifically for areas around the Methow Valley, Colville Reservation, and SE Washington that are being posted to the Washington Smoke Blog? These forecasts are being created every day by Air Resource Advisors - also known as ARA's - assigned to the incident management teams in charge of managing wildfires in the area. ARA's are trained specialists who can be dispatched to an incident management team to assist with understanding and predicting smoke impacts on the public and fire personnel. ARA's have expertise in air quality science, air quality monitoring, smoke modeling, pollutant health thresholds, and communicating about smoke risks and methods of mitigation. 

Air Resource Advisors:

• Use sophisticated smoke dispersion models to predict air quality conditions in smoke impacted communities,
• Install and operate air quality monitors in communities underrepresented by state monitors (notice the triangles on the monitoring map above - those extra monitors for Mazama and Oroville were installed by our ARA on the Methow area fires),
• Participate in public meetings and media events to help explain air quality conditions, relay information on potential health effects, and advise on strategies people can take to protect their health,
• Assist incident safety officers and others addressing incident personnel impacts from smoke.

If you attend a public meeting sponsored by one of the teams managing a fire with an ARA assigned to it, you'll get a chance to hear a little more about current and forecast air quality conditions in the area, and get any questions you may have answered. Many thanks to Tonya, John, and Katy for helping out as ARA's on fires here in Washington this year!

·     

Smoke Outlook for 7/24 to 7/25 Norrh Central Washington Cedar Ck, Delancy, Cub Ck 2

 

7/24/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Saturday, July 24, 2021 - Smoke Outlook for Colville Reservation #ColvilleReservationFires

A detailed version of this Outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/newashington

*This Outlook was produced through the support of the incident management teams assigned to the Summit Trail and Chuweah Creek fires on the Colville Reservation to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Smoky starts continue in the Methow

Day after day, the Methow Valley has woken up to a thick haze of smoke coming from the nearby Cedar Creek, Cub Creek and Delancy wildfires, leading the valley to experience what has been the worst air quality readings in the entire country (potentially even the planet, according to the National Weather Service).

As temperatures cool overnight, the smoke settles into the valley like a blanket, and residents face starting the day with air quality in the very unhealthy to hazardous range. As the day goes on, the sun warms the surface and allows the smoke to mix up into the atmosphere, somewhat improving air quality.

It’s a frustrating pattern that appears to be set to continue through the weekend and into next week.

When air quality is in this unhealthy range, people should try to stay indoors as much as possible, with the doors and windows closed. Setting the air conditioning to recirculate, or using a HEPA portable air cleaner, allows the air in the room to repeatedly pass through the filter, scrubbing the smoke particles out of the air. Likewise, if you’re in your car, set the air conditioning to recirculate. And, if you must be outside, wear an N95 mask if possible, and try not to stay out too long.

Air quality readings in the Methow Valley have been unhealthy or worse.

Clean Air Methow and the University of Washington Department of Environment and Occupational Health Sciences have a brochure with tips and strategies to stay healthy during these extended periods of wildfire smoke - https://deohs.washington.edu/sites/default/files/Smoke_brochure_web_MERV_13.pdf.

On a related note, remember that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and significant concerns remain about the potential for wildfire smoke to exacerbate the disease. For more information about COVID-19 and wildfire smoke this season visit the Washington Department of Health’s Smoke from Fires page.

Smoke covers the Methow Valley Airport in this WSDOT photo.

The Department of Ecology extended an Air Quality Alert for Okanogan County through at least the weekend. Asotin and Ferry counties are also under an Air Quality Alert, although we’re not expecting the smoke impacts there to be as bad as what the Methow is facing.

It’s not all bad news from these super-stable weather patterns, however: West of the mountains, it continues to be a glorious summer with endless blue-sky days and air quality firmly fixed in the “good” category.

If you are a west-sider, spare a thought for your neighbors to the east as you enjoy another beautiful weekend.

 

Pronóstico de Humo para 23/07 - 24/07 North Central Washington Cedar Ck, Delancy, Cub Creek 2

 

Friday, July 23, 2021 - Smoke Outlook for Colville Reservation #ColvilleReservationFires

A detailed version of this Outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/newashington

*This Outlook was produced through the support of the incident management teams assigned to the Summit Trail and Chuweah Creek fires on the Colville Reservation to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts. 

 

7/23/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

North Central Washington Smoke Outlook for 7/23 - 7/24

 

Pronostico de Humo para 22/07 - 23/07 North Central Washington Cedar Ck, Delancy, Cub Creek 2

 

7/22/2021 Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington Areas near the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 Wildfires

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

 

Thursday, July 22, 2021 - Smoke Outlook for Colville Reservation #ColvilleReservationFires

A detailed version of this Outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/newashington

*This Outlook was produced through the support of the incident management teams assigned to the Summit Trail and Chuweah Creek fires on the Colville Reservation to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts. 

7/22/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/21/2021 Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington Areas near the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 Wildfires

 

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/21/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/20/2021 Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington Areas near the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 Wildfires

 

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/20/21 Smoke Outlook for SE Washington - Lick Creek/Green Ridge

 

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

 *This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek and Green Ridge fires to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

Second verse, same as the first

We’re in a bit of a holding pattern to start the week: That’s good news if you’re in western Washington, where onshore winds will continue to keep the smoke at bay and maintain air quality in the green zone. Less good if you’re in north-central or southeast Washington, where large fires are producing a significant amount of smoke, which you can see by the dark maroon (hazardous) and light purple (very unhealthy) and red (unhealthy) on our monitoring map this morning.

Hazardous air quality on monitors near Winthrop

Air quality in those areas should improve as the day goes on and the warmth of the sun increases mixing in the atmosphere, allowing some of that smoke to dissipate. Still, expect air quality in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or Unhealthy range in Mazama, Winthrop, Twisp and surrounding communities.

Mean daily air quality readings in E. WA cities

In Clarkston and nearby communities, air quality should improve to the Moderate range as the day goes on, but expect to wake up to poor air quality conditions throughout the week. Southeast Washington is getting a glancing shot from smoke coming from the massive Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, although the bulk of the smoke there is still coming from local fires.

Smoke from the Bootleg Fire in Oregon - NWS

Because of those air quality impacts in central and eastern Washington, we’ve again extended our Air Quality Alert for Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Okanogan, Stevens and Whitman counties until further notice. Finally, thunderstorms are in the forecast again this week, and the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning through Wednesday for much of eastern Washington because of the elevated fire danger. 

We’ve got a long ways to go in this fire season yet, so stay safe out there.

7/19/2021 Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington Areas near the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 Wildfires

 

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/19/2021 Smoke Outlook for South East Washington and Other Areas Downwind of the Lick Creek Fire

 A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/sewashington 

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/18/2021 Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington

 A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

7/17/2021 Smoke Outlook for N. Central Washington

A detailed version of this outlook with live links can be found here: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/northcentralwashington

*This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Cedar Creek, Delancy, and Cub Creek 2 fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts.

Cool southwest winds = cloudier + smoke- free skies in Western WA. Head east for sunshine + heat + smoke

'nuff said about western WA, although the satellite map overlaid with fine particle pollution data is worth a glance. Green circles = Good air.

Judging by monitor readings, much of the smoke over parts of eastern WA is staying overhead and not mixing down to ground level. A strong-ish push of marine air since last evening has scoured out a lot of the smoke and will "cool" temperatures into the mid 80's/ low 90's today. Welcome relief... for now.

But these winds are also raising the stakes in the fire danger game. There is a small risk of dry thunderstorms on Saturday night. For Sunday and later, expect more warming and reduced smoke dispersion.

There is an Air Quality Alert in effect covering the areas below. 

North central WA

Fires burning in the Methow valley and on the Colville Reservation are puffing a lot of smoke, but the Red Apple fire west of Wenatchee is not. Models suggest most of this smoke will not accumulate until Sunday or later, except of course right by the fires. 

The wildcard however is new fires. 

Southeastern WA

The Lick Creek fire in Asotin County is expected to continue emitting smoke, but again, the build-up of smoke will mostly be confined to the vicinity of the fires until late in the weekend. Smoke from the Bootleg fire in southern Oregon will also deal a glancing blow to this area under southwesterly winds. The Dept of Ecology's 5-day smoke forecast (which also has clickable pop-ups for each area), shows the air degrading to USG on occasion. 

Lick Creek Smoke Outlook - Friday, July 16, 2021

  Please note, this outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts

Lick Creek Smoke Outlook - July 15, 2021

 Note: This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts

Lick Creek Smoke Outlook - July 14, 2021

Note: This outlook was produced through the support of the incident management team assigned to the Lick Creek fire to help inform nearby communities of smoke impacts

New and continued fire growth affecting air quality

Many residents of Central and Eastern Washington have been getting impacted by new and existing fires in the region, with the worst smoke impacts occurring in the cooler hours.  The air has been getting a little better today as the smoke stays mostly aloft, but it will stick around with more smoke to be generated this week.

Nespelem (Colville Reservation):  The Chuweah Creek fire and other lightning ignitions in the area started yesterday in timber, grass, and brush.  Information is limited but some estimates show over 12,000 acres have burned in the area, with 3 homes lost.  Evacuations are in effect and structures are still threatened.  Thick plumes can be seen traveling south today in the GOES imagery, with sensors reporting USG to Unhealthy air in the Grand Coulee area.  Winds will likely push smoke east over the next few days, and fire growth is expected.

Asotin:  The Lick Creek fire grew nearly 9,000 acres yesterday and has burned over 55,000 acres in grass and brush since it started on July 7.  Crews are working hard to manage the fire.  A lot of the smoke will continue to move south, but residents in Clarkston and Asotin will continue to experience USG air intermittently throughout the week.

Mazama (NW of Methow): The Varden and Cedar Creek fires grew 400 acres yesterday and have burned almost 1,000 acres in timber.  The Methow Valley has had Moderate to USG air and this will likely continue throughout the week, depending on fire activity. 

N. of Yakima: The Burbank fire grew 6,000 acres yesterday in grass and brush and has burned 13,000 acres since July 10.  Smoke has caused intermittent Moderate air in the area.  Good news though, evacuations have been cancelled as the fire crews have made good progress and secured containment lines along I-82.   

Canadian smoke has also been impacting residents around Oroville, as over 300 fires burn in B.C. Expected winds this week should clear out the current Unhealthy air, but nighttime stability will allow intermittent smoke impacts in the area throughout the week.

Seattle and the rest of Western Washington should be clear of smoke for the week, with perhaps some intermittent Moderate air.

A fire weather watch is in effect for Central and Eastern Washington from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening. Gusty winds and low relative humidity will cause fires to spread more easily.  A cold front should move through Thursday and increase relative humidity, but winds will still be a concern for fire growth.  Looks like it's going to be more ups and downs with the weather!  Please use caution when recreating or working near dry vegetation, as fire can ignite and spread easily in these conditions. 

 

07/12/2021 Wildfires in and Around Washington

Update 2 (7/13/21): New large fire "Chuweah Creek" north of Coulee Dam, near Nespelem on the Colville Reservation.

Update since posting*: The Dry Gulch Fire has been renamed Lick Creek.

Wildfire season has arrived in the Pacific Northwest and we have a few fires of note in Washington. The largest is the Dry Gulch fire in the SE corner of the state. Much of the smoke from this fire is traveling east today and into Idaho but that was not the case a couple of days ago when monitors from Dayton to Clarkston and surrounding areas registered smoky conditions. Dry Gulch has a Type 1 incident management team assigned meaning it’s recognized as a complex wildfire. We expect a specialist called an Air Resource Advisor to arrive later in the week to provide some extra focus on air quality forecasting for the vicinity. The Green Ridge fire is also burning in the area. Though not in Washington, the Snake River Complex in Idaho is nearby and could cause smoke issues in Washington depending on wind direction.

Dry Gulch. IMT1. 2 mi SW of Asotin, WA. Start 7/7. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 46,352 acres. (+8,129) 20% containment. Active fire behavior. Grass and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. Details on Dry Gulch  available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615/

Green Ridge. IMT2. 30 mi E of Walla Walla, WA. Start 7/7. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 175 acres (+32). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and grass. Road, trail and area closures. Details on Green Ridge available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7628/

Details on Snake River Complex available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7636/

Above: Map showing wildfires in the vicinity of SE Washington for 7/12/2021. Bright red spots show where significant heat has been detected by satellite in the last 12 hours.

 In addition, there are two new fires in Washington that are not very large at the moment although they are contributing smoke to the Methow Valley area from Mazama to Brewster and over to Omak. The Varden fire is close enough to the road that the State Dept. of Transportation has closed Hwy 20. Got Facebook? The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Facebook page is a great source for local fire information. https://www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF/

Varden. 5 mi southwest of Mazama, WA. Start 7/11. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 700 acres. 0% contained. Moderate fire behavior. Timber.

Cedar Creek. 5 mi southwest of Mazama, WA. Start 7/8. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 75 acres. 0% contained. Moderate fire behavior. Timber.

Above: Map showing wildfires in the vicinity of Mazama, WA on 7/12/2021. Bright red spots show where significant heat has been detected by satellite in the last 12 hours.

And there is one more fire in Washington that is causing some trouble. The Burbank fire near Yakima and Selah is impacting travel on I-82. The fire seems to be burning mostly in light brush and grass fuels so is not putting out large amounts of smoke.

Burbank. 8 mi northeast of Yakima, WA. Start 7/10. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 6,000 acres. 10% contained. Extreme fire behavior. Grass and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. Details on Burbank available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7650/

 

Above: Map showing the location of the Burbank fire on 7/12/2021. Bright red spots show where significant heat has been detected by satellite in the last 12 hours.

So that concludes the summary of significant wildfires in Washington as of today. There are also wildfires all around us from British Columbia, to Oregon, to Idaho but for now at least, most of the smoke from these fires is staying away with the exception of a little high elevation haze visible on the west side of the state, and some haze plus low levels of smoke at the surface in NE Washington.

The best way to help our firefighters this year? Be careful out there so we can keep human caused fires to a minimum!

Washington is in the import-export business

Of smoke, that is. 

Here is yesterday's daily average estimated fine particle pollution map. "Estimated" because it is a satellite- derived product. Satellites can't decipher the height at which smoke is present; they only see all the vertically integrated smoke in the atmosphere. Various algorithms are used to estimate how much of this is present at ground level. Without reading too much into the absolute numbers, we can see where the smoke is coming from and going to. 

Give a little

The fires near Asotin (Silcott, Dry Gulch and Lick Creek) are problematic for nearby WA and ID communities (read: export). We expect Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups air in the area for the next few days. 

Take a little

Some smoke from wildfires in southern British Columbia is drifting over the north central part of the state (read: import). While most of it will remain aloft for now, some splotches of Moderate air can't be ruled out this afternoon. Smoke from southern Oregon fires will also fly over the south central and southeastern part of the state tomorrow. Enjoy the pretty sunsets.

Overall synopsis

No other major smoke concerns for now thanks to favorable winds, but those happy-go-lucky days are numbered because new fires are an ongoing concern (see the Red Flag warning). Please do your part to prevent fires.