8/3/2016 Air Quality Outlook

We’re seeing good air quality throughout most of the state today. Some areas immediately downwind of fires can expect smoke impacts and as weather begins to shift and settle back into lighter winds and higher temps.  We may see some regional impacts from fires in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Please check the Idaho and Oregon smoke blogs for updated information on fires in those states.

NWS Area Forecast Discussion. SYNOPSIS...

Our winds will be lighter today as Tuesday's storm system moves out of the region. Temperatures today will be cooler than average, but readings will climb quickly Thursday and Friday. Highs on Friday will be in the 90s. A slow moving low pressure system will bring a return of cooler temperatures and the chance for widely scattered showers and thunderstorms over the weekend.

Excellent US Wildfire interactive mapping tool which includes weather alerts current fire information, videos of fires, fire perimeters and social media posts: 

http://www.esri.com/services/disaster-response/wildfire

WA State ambient air monitoring network

https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.ltr.aspx

Good ventilation forecasted throughout the day!

 

Northwest Activity Summary for August 3, 2016

One type 2 IMT mobilized (Kewa in WA). In the past 24 hours, the weather was windy and dry east of the Cascades. Minimal lightning and precipitation in Northeastern Washington and west of the Washington Cascades. Moderate initial attack with three new large fires in Eastern Washington. Increased containment on existing large fires in Washington and continued growth on existing large fires in Oregon.

Northwest Current Incident Details

Incidents not Previously Reported: 3

Kewa WA-COA-000082. IMT2. NW Team 9 (Goff). 15 miles S of Inchelium, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 2,500 acres (+2,500). 0% containment. Timber and brush. Active fire behavior with wind driven runs, torching and spotting. Residences and structures threatened. Area restrictions and road closures in effect. IMT2 NW Team 9 (Goff) has been ordered with in brief planned this afternoon.

Snake River WA-WFS-000368. IMT4. 12 miles NE of Pomeroy, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 11,000 acres (+11,000). 0% containment. Timber. Active fire behavior with uphill and wind driven runs. Road closures in effect. Evacuations in progress. Fire Mobilization authorized (8/2).

Road 10 WA-WFS-000704. IMT3. 8 miles NW of Moses Lake, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 4,000 acres (+4,000). 0% containment. Fire Mobilization authorized (8/2). Limited information.

Incidents Previously Reported

Range 12 WA-SPD-000344. IMT2. NW Team 8 (Johnson). 14 miles E of Yakima, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 176,600 acres (+1,600). 60% containment. Grass and brush. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping. Structures and Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Antilon Lake WA-SES-000340. ICT3. 10 miles NW of Chelan, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 315 acres (-225). 90% containment. Timber, brush and grass. Minimal fire behavior. Reduction in acreage due to better mapping.

North Touchet WA-SES-020574. IMT3. 26 miles NE of Walla Walla, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression and Monitor. Cause: Human. 536 acres (+11). 95% containment. Timber, brush, and tall grass. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Fire Mobilization authorized (7/30).

South Ward Gap WA-WFS-000353. IMT3. 1 mile S of Prosser, WA. Start 7/31. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 5,000 acres (+0). 40% containment. Grass and brush. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Line improvement and mopup.

8/1/2016 Quick summary of WA fire and air quality status

The Range 12 fire grew 58,000 acres (!) yesterday and there is now a suppression team on site so more news should be available soon via Inciweb. Air quality at the monitor in Sunnyside reached Unhealthy (red) overnight. Please check out the information on the Smoke and Health tab above for more information if you have health concerns, or check with your doctor if you are feeling effects from breathing smoke.  Air quality conditions in Sunnyside overnight and into this morning are shown below:

Range 12 WA-SPD-000344. IMT2. 14 miles E of Yakima, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 70,000+ acres (+58,000). 0% containment. Grass and Brush. Active fire behavior with wind-driven runs. Sage-grouse habitat threatened. Structures threatened. Transfer of command to IMT2 NW Team 8 (Johnson) at 0800 today.

North Touchet WA-SES-020574. ICT3. 26 miles NE of Walla Walla, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 525 acres (+225). 80% containment. Grass and brush. Active fire behavior. Residences threatened. Fire Mobilization authorized (07/30).

Black Rock Road WA-SPD-000597. ICT3. 18 miles WSW of Odessa, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 16,600 acres (+1,600). 40% containment. Grass and brush. Active fire behavior with wind-driven runs. Structures threatened. Sage-grouse habitat threatened. Fire Mobilization authorized (07/30).

Antilon Lake WA-SES-000340. ICT3. 10 miles NW of Chelan, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 540 acres (+40). 62% containment. Timber. Moderate fire behavior with uphill runs. Residence threatened. Road and area closures in effect.

7/31/2016 First fires of note for 2016

A number of fires are burning in Washington. It's still soon to get much information on them and none have pages on Inciweb yet meaning that suppression teams are not yet assigned or at least are still so new to the fire that the pages are not yet established. Watch the Inciweb link here: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/49/ for Washington fire news if/when teams are assigned. Until then this Northwest Coordination Center Link provides some information on fires in Oregon and Washington: http://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/fire_info.aspx

The large and fast moving Range 12 fire outside of Yakima is producing enough smoke that it is very visible on the satellite photo below.  A quick survey of area air quality monitors indicates that conditions have not gotten worse than "Moderate" (yellow) so far.