Bolt Creek Fire near Skykomish Threatens Unhealthy Air Quality for North Puget Sound

Emerging incident in Cascades, ongoing Goat Rocks Fire, and Oregon's Cedar Creek Fire spreading significant smoke in Washington

A new wildfire is emerging just north of Skykomish along Highway 2 in the Washington Cascades. With the Goat Rocks Fire experiencing significant growth yesterday, both HWY 2 and HWY 12 are closed near Steven's Pass and White Pass, respectively. Weather conditions through this morning will support rapid fire growth on all active fires in the Cascades, increasing smoke production and endangering the communities of Grotto and Packwood. 

Thick mid-level smoke from the Cedar Creek Fire in Oregon is being pushed northward by shifting mid-level winds, and will overspread western Washington from south to north today. This smoke is elevated above ground level and should not contribute significantly to further reductions in air quality, but will actually help keep temperatures down a few degrees this afternoon and limit the minimum RH values experienced in the Puget Lowlands. 

Air quality impacts will primarily be driven by the Goat Rocks Fire and the Bolt Creek Fire through today on the westside, with smoke from fires in Idaho and Montana driving the air quality degradation on the east side. Large areas of "Unhealthy" air quality are likely to develop across the state this afternoon, with the worst air quality being along HWY 2 and HWY 12, in Snohomish and Lewis counties, and in the southeastern quarter of Washington, including areas near Spokane southward to Walla Walla. 

Conditions will begin to improve for western Washington on Sunday, with Monday seeing a return of "Good" air quality for most areas west of the Cascade crest. Poor air quality will linger across eastern Washington into Monday, but will improve through the week.  

Wildland Fire Meteorologist Matthew Dehr