See You Next Year!

Even though wildfire season is over, there may still be smoke visible within fire perimeters due to remaining fuels burning down.

Now that we’ve gotten some rain and even snow in some locations, prescribed burn season is upon us!

Rx Burning in Roslyn, Photo C/O Mason Friedman, WA DNR

What is Prescribed Fire?

Prescribed fire is a tool long used on forest ecosystems throughout Washington by Tribes, land management agencies, and conservation groups. These forests, with their fire-adapted plants, historically had low-intensity fires burn through their understories on a regular basis. These low-severity fires reduced the amount of ladder fuels capable of taking fires up into tree canopies, where they spread much more rapidly than at ground level.

A prescribed fire applies low-severity fire to the forest floor in order to reduce built-up vegetation while helping mature trees stay healthy and resilient. Trained fire professionals follow burn plans guided by state and federal regulations to reduce wildfire fuels on the ground, reintroduce vital nutrients into the soil, and restore natural, fire-adapted habitats for wildlife.

Stay informed!

To get more information about where burning is taking place, visit WA DNR’s Burn Portal or, you can now sign up for notifications to learn about when burns are taking place near your location. 

It's also important to note that it's illegal to burn during burn bans. For more information on when and where these are in place, visit the Washington Department of Ecology or your local clean air agency.

The purpose of this blog is to provide information related to wildfire smoke. For more information on prescribed burns and smoke resources, visit: https://dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources/smoke-resources

**This is the final post for 2025, but we hope you will bookmark us and return for wildfire smoke updates next summer. We appreciate your interest and feedback. Breathe well Washington!

2025 wildfire season: air quality in review

Monitoring sites in the Wenatchee area are still observing lingering impacts from the Labor Mountain Fire, but with recent rain and cooler weather, wildfire season is winding down. It's a good time to look back at this year's wildfire season from an air quality perspective.

Statewide Overview

In terms of the number of smoke-impacted days, this season began quietly. Up until mid-August, there were very few days with elevated PM2.5 concentrations, based on data from 133 air quality monitors tracking PM2.5 across the state (note that monitoring sites do not cover every location in the state and some areas experienced worse smoke than what is captured by the statewide monitoring network). Early season smoke impacts were localized, primarily from the Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman and the Pomas Fire northwest of Entiat.

Conditions changed quickly at the end of August, when a combination of lightning-sparked wildfires, hot and dry weather, and light winds led to an increase in unhealthy air quality days across Central and Eastern Washington. Overall, the 2025 season ended up resembling 2021 and 2022 more than the relatively smoke-free 2024.

Total number of USG or worse air quality days observed by air quality monitors over the last decade.

While no region was entirely free from smoke, Central Washington experienced the most sustained impacts this season. The Wildcat, Lower Sugarloaf, and Labor Mountain Fires were the primary contributors. Although the Pomas Fire started early in the season, it had minimal impacts on air quality compared with the larger, more smoke-producing fires. Northeast WA also experienced prolonged smoke impacts from numerous regional fires in September. Southeast WA dodged most of the heaviest smoke but still experienced occasional impacts from smoke drifting into the region. Western WA (more below!) experienced intermittent periods of smoke from regional fires when shifting winds carried smoke towards the Puget Sound and NW WA.

Total number of USG or worse air quality days observed by air quality monitors this summer, sorted by region.

To better illustrate the timing of smoke impacts this summer, the plot below shows daily air quality levels for each county in the Washington with an air quality monitor. Each row represents the daily average from the most impacted monitor in that county, with counties organized by geographic region. Aside from localized impacts at Lake Cushman, most of the state experienced good and moderate air quality for most of the summer until fire activity drastically ramped up at the end of August and into September.

Daily air quality index levels for each county in WA this summer. Temporary monitoring at Lake Cushman is also included.

The Bear Gulch Fire

The 2025 perimeter of the Bear Gulch Fire (pink) compared to previous fires in 2006 (blue) and 1979 (green). 

The Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman created an unusual smoke season for western Washington. The fire, started by human activity on July 6, frequently caused poor air quality in communities along the Hood Canal and in Mason County throughout July, August, and September. Between September 14th and September 20th, the fire nearly doubled in size growing from 10,851 acres to 19,092 acres. This rapid growth caused several hours of unhealthy air in Port Angeles on September 16th & 17th and in Mason and Thurston Counties September 19th & 20th.  At just over 20,000 acres, the Bear Gulch Fire holds the record as the largest wildfire in the Olympic National Park (ONP) since its establishment in 1938, breaking the previous record of 1,175 acres. Between 1985 and 2024, roughly 900 recorded wildfires burned a total of 4,300 acres in the ONP. Major fires in the Olympics typically burn between 10 and 500 acres. While they often smolder for several weeks, rarely do they generate significant smoke impacts beyond the immediate vicinity. The Bear Gulch Fire produced multiple pyrocumulus clouds, hazy skies, and even a visible smoke plume that stretched across the state on August 13th. The first wetting rains fell over Bear Gulch in early October and continuing showers have dramatically slowed fire growth and smoke production. All evacuation orders have been lifted, and the US Forest Service has transferred fire management to local units. 

Bear Gulch burn scar from satellite imagery on October 13.

Smoke Update for Central Washington

Wenatchee continues to experience smoke from ongoing activity at the Labor Mountain Fire, which has burned 41,418 acres and is currently 20% contained. Air quality sensors in the valley are reporting UNHEALTHY conditions. In contrast, the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, now at 42,955 acres and 90% contained, is producing less smoke as containment improves.

7 Day AQI for Wenatchee (solid line) and Yakima (dashed line), Department of Ecology 

This weekend, a mix of snow and rain is expected over the Cascade Mountains. The Wildcat Fire area could see 1–2 inches of snow, while Labor Mountain and Lower Sugarloaf are likely to receive less than an inch. Higher relative humidity and moisture may provide some relief to Wenatchee Valley and surrounding areas by dampening fire activity. In Yakima, air quality has steadily improved since Monday. Snow and rain over the Wildcat Fire, along with increased winds and light showers, are expected to further improve air quality through the weekend.

48 snow accumulation (inches) this weekend, and active NIFC fires, NOAA DESI

Air quality alerts for Chelan and Douglas counties have been reinstated until further notice. Another update on the blog will be provided next week as air quality evolves following the wet weather.

Tactical firing operations along Highway 97 near Labor Mountain Fire, Inciweb

Ongoing Smoke Impacts from Active Wildfires

The Lower Sugarloaf, Labor Mountain, and Wildcat Fires continue to burn, producing significant smoke across portions of Central Washington. Air quality is currently unhealthy to hazardous in Wenatchee and Cashmere, with visible smoke extending beyond the immediate fire zones. An Air Quality Alert has been issued for Chelan and Douglas Counties, specifically for communities along the Wenatchee River Corridor (including Cashmere, Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, and Rock Island).

GOES-West satellite imagery this morning (9am).

Communities southeast of the fires--including Quincy, Royal City, and George--are experiencing smoke impacts in addition to the heavy smoke observed in the Wenatchee River Corridor. Smoke from the Wildcat Fire is also settling into the Yakima Valley. Valley drainage patterns are expected to bring another day of smoke accumulation overnight and into the morning, contributing to periods of poor air quality in low-lying areas.

Increased ventilation and mixing will lead to gradual air quality improvements throughout the day, but areas closest to the fires will continue to experience periods of dense smoke. Cle Elum and Ellensburg can also expect periodic smoke impacts. Additionally, proactive burning efforts by firefighters working on containing the Labor Mountain Fire will produce increased smoke in the area. 

Smoke from the Labor Mountain Fire. Source: Watchduty.

Winds are also pushing smoke to the southwest; impacts are increasing at Mt. Rainier and in the Cowlitz Valley. Make sure to check local air quality conditions before recreating today. Light smoke may also reach portions of southwest Washington and the Cascades foothills in Pierce and King Counties. Moderate smoke impacts will likely be brief as shifting winds will push any lingering smoke out of the area tomorrow afternoon.

Outlook

Communities closest to active fires will continue to experience smoke impacts as long as those fires burn. While temperatures are cooling and daylight hours are decreasing, conditions remain very dry across the region. On a hopeful note, potential rain returns later this week. The Labor Mountain, Lower Sugarloaf, and Wildcat Fires all have a chance to receive wetting rain through this weekend. However, rain will be scattered and the locations and rain amounts remain uncertain. We'll continue to keep an eye on conditions and update as needed.

Fire Season Continues in Central Washington

The calendar has flipped to October but wildfires continue to burn in central Washington. 

Rainfall in western Washington was significant and beneficial this week, especially over the Bear Gulch Fire where observations suggest 1-4" of precipitation across the fire footprint. This has allowed fire activity to significantly decrease and all evacuation levels for the fire have been lifted. With the shorter days and cooler temperatures, Bear Gulch may have trouble growing further unless a major weather change occurs in the next few weeks.

East of the Cascades, however, much less rainfall was observed. The Wildcat, Lower Sugarloaf, and Labor Mountain Fires all received some rain, but generally less than 0.50". All three of these fires are still burning and producing smoke, with Lower Sugarloaf and Labor Mountain being the most active. 

Central Washington received a brief reprieve from heavy smoke impacts in the last few days but PM2.5 concentrations are starting to climb back up again. Wenatchee is reporting UNHEALTHY air quality this morning and other nearby monitors in the region are reporting MODERATE to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. 

Recent air quality index values across central Washington, data via WA Dept of Ecology.

Looking ahead, shifting winds over the weekend into early next week could bring smoke from central WA wildfires into different portions of the state. This is especially true Sunday-Monday when N/NE winds could bring light to moderate amounts of smoke a bit further south and west into the Cascades. It's also possible that very light amounts of smoke could even reach westside communities in SW Washington by Monday, but any smoke reaching that area would likely remain at low concentrations. Onshore winds then return towards the middle of next week which would clear out any minor smoke impacts in western WA. 

Lookout on Division U of the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, Thursday, October 2. Photo by Ranae Pape, Public Information Officer, retrieved via Inciweb. 

The bottom line is that crews continue to make progress on the fires in central WA, but a drier and warmer weather pattern will continue challenging containment efforts through at least the early part of next week. Until we get a more significant weather change in that area, smoke production is likely to continue with occasional air quality impacts in the surrounding communities. 

We'll continue our blog updates until wildfire season ends for good!

Air Quality Improves Across Washington as October Begins

Fall weather has finally arrived! Time to grab a thermos of apple cider and hit the pumpkin patches! The shift in weather has also brought improved air quality across the state.

In Western Washington, conditions remain GOOD this week, thanks to rain from Monday through Tuesday night that helped clear out smoke from the Bear Gulch fire.

 72 hour rain accumulation in inches (9/28-10/01), National Weather Service Weather and Hazards Data Viewer

Eastern Washington has also seen notable improvement over the past two days. Air quality in Cle Elum, Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan, and nearby areas has improved from UNHEALTHY on Monday to MODERATE to USG levels today. The Methow Valley is holding between GOOD and MODERATE. With these improvements, Air Quality Alerts have been lifted for Chelan and Douglas Counties.

7 Day AQI for Twisp (solid line) and Chelan (dashed line), Dept. of Ecology

7 Day AQI for Entiat (solid line) and Wenatchee (dashed line), Dept. of Ecology

7 Day AQI for Cle Elum (solid line) and Ellensburg (dashed line), Dept of Ecology

Looking ahead, smoke impacts should stay minimal through the rest of the week. However, wildfire season isn’t over yet. Fires along the eastern Cascades have received some rain but remain active: Wildcat (14,316 acres, 6% containment), Labor Mountain (37,238 acres, 7% containment), and Lower Sugarloaf (39,594 acres, 48% containment). We’ll continue to provide updates as smoke conditions change in the coming weeks.