Closing out Smoke Ready Week

As we reach the end of Smoke Ready Week, now is the perfect time to make sure you have a plan for smoke events. With summer almost upon us and the fire risk looking high across the PNW, preparing in advance is the best way to limit the stress and anxiety of wildfire season. We wanted to share a few essential tips for protecting yourself, as well as updates to a key air quality resource.

Essential #SmokeReady tips

Our post from Monday (6/1/26) outlined how to prepare for and respond to smoke events. This includes:

• Identifying your risk level based on age and health conditions
• Talking to your healthcare provider about smoke and your health
• Knowing the main symptoms of smoke exposure
• Finding a reliable way to monitoring air quality conditions
• EPA's updated Fire & Smoke Map (more on this later) is at the top of this page
• The WA Air Quality Map has sensor and monitors around the state
• Using the Air Quality Index (AQI) to decide when conditions are safe
• Knowing how to clean your indoor air
• Use a portable air cleaner or DIY clean air fan and create a cleaner air room
• Wear an N95 respirator if you must go outside when it's smoky

Look above for daily smoke forecasts

The map at the top of this page was updated and includes a few helpful changes. You can still find the daily smoke forecasts, but now with a new toggle feature. Click on any forecast day and you'll see a zonal AQI forecast for that day. These are daily forecasts representing an average for the day. Hour-to-hour air quality conditions may be below or above the displayed category. 

In addition, the zonal forecast represents an average for that zone. If a zone is labeled "Moderate," that isn't a guarantee that every location within the zone is experiencing moderate air quality. One portion may be experiencing "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" (USG) while another location is observing "Good" air quality.

The 5-day forecasts come from a mix of professional judgement by air quality forecasters at local clean air agencies and Ecology, PM2.5 predictions from a machine learning model, and PM2.5 forecasts from Ecology's HYSPLIT dispersion model. For all the fun details, click the "Learn about forecasts" link that pops up when you click on a forecast day. 

Daily forecasts are first published around 6 a.m. and may be updated throughout the morning as air quality forecasters make manual adjustments.

A quick guide to fire and smoke map symbols

Not all symbols are the same! The larger circles are permanent air quality monitors operated by state, local, and tribal air quality professionals. Circles denoted with a "T" are temporary monitors. 

The smaller circles are air sensors, and include Purple Air low-cost sensors (with EPA's correction equation applied) as well as SensWA sensors designed and built by Ecology. SensWA sensors undergo quality-control checks, real-time data screening, and bias corrections. To see locations of SensWA sensors throughout the state, make sure the "SensWA" toggle under the "Air Sensor" layer is selected (after clicking the "Map Settings" button in the upper right). Additional layers to toggle on/off for more information include smoke outlooks, fire incidents, and satellite-detected smoke plumes.

Stay safe this summer!

Thanks for tuning in during Smoke Ready Week! Be sure to bookmark the blog for smoke updates over the next few months.