New Fire in British Columbia and Rain on the Way

What’s in the Air Today

Heavy smoke from the Bear Gulch Fire is creating HAZARDOUS air quality around Lake Cushman this morning, with smoke drifting south into Hoodsport. As a result, an Air Quality Alert has been issued for Mason County, effective until 9 AM Friday August 15 due to the smoke from Bear Gulch fire.  For current smoke conditions and forecasts in the Bear Gulch area, check the Smoke Outlook. 

Bear Gulch Fire: A helicopter drops water on a hotspot at the fire's edge, courtesy of InciWeb

Elsewhere, air quality is MODERATE to the east of Bear Gulch, including the Kitsap Peninsula and Shelton. Some smoke may drift into the southern Puget Lowlands today, mixing with higher ozone concentrations due increased temperatures, but overall air quality should remain moderate. Along the coast today near Taholah, air quality is also MODERATE but should improve as concentrations drop through the day.

A new wildfire started Monday near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. It has grown quickly over the past 24 hours and is now at 1,556 acres. Smoke from this fire has been moving down along the Washington coast but is currently staying offshore. As more smoke is produced and winds shift from the northwest later today, smoke will be visible through most of western Washington this evening. However, most of this smoke is expected to remain high in the atmosphere and should not affect air quality at the surface. Check the surface quality map above this post to see what the AQI is near your location. 

Mount Underwood fire near Port Alberni B.C. on August, courtesy of BC Wildfire Service 

Early tomorrow morning, smoke could move over the east slopes of the Cascades and spread into eastern Washington, leading to moderate air quality for a time. Winds should push the smoke east out of the state by tomorrow evening, allowing conditions to improve.

Satellite imagery of smoke over WA this morning

Later This Week – A Wet Turn for August

Looking toward the end of the week, we’re seeing an unusual trend for August: rain, and plenty of it. Areas around Puget Sound could see up to 1 inch, with the Olympics and Cascades possibly picking up as much as 2 inches. Eastern Washington will have a shot at some rainfall as well, though amounts will be lighter than on the west side. This wet system should help slow ongoing fire activity and reduce the risk of new starts, with minimal smoke impacts expected across the region.

Total 48 hour rain accumulation (in) over WA by this Saturday at 5 AM