8/4/2017 Animals can be affected by poor air quality too

A fairly common question from the public during wildfire smoke episodes is whether pets and other animals are affected by poor air quality, and what can be done to help them stay comfortable and healthy. An article posted today on WSU News and written by Charlie Powell with Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine addresses this question.

"Mammals lungs are all very similar, and some in other species like birds are extremely sensitive to particulates in the air."

You can read the whole article at this link: https://news.wsu.edu/2017/08/04/pets-wildfire-smoke-hazards/?platform=hootsuite

Note: This picture is just posted for a smile -
masks don't work for pets (or humans) with excessive facial hair.

Mild recovery started. And paused

The smoke column was slightly thinner compared to Wednesday.

But sadly the northwest maintains the ignoble distinction of recording the poorest air quality in the lower 48 states. Here's a map of 24-hr average fine particle levels on Thursday, overlaid with polygons of smoke plumes.



Here's an animation of the visible satellite just before sunset on Thursday- really amplifies the smoke sources. Notice how the upper level winds were blowing it eastward. Unfortunately that didn't make its way down to the surface and help ventilate our cities. And... light northeast winds have returned overnight 😒

Although there was a slight improvement in overall air quality yesterday compared to Wednesday, none of our sites managed to drop all the way down to Good. And the 72-hr forecast trajectories (green= 300ft above ground; blue =1500ft above and red= 3000 ft above) seems to suggest that new smoke will mostly stay east of the Cascades. Red triangles on the map are fire locations.

However there are reasons to believe that western WA will experience more smoke from BC over the coming days, perhaps a little less than before. Light onshore flow is expected each day but nowhere near enough to flush out the smoke. Be prepared for air ranging from Moderate to Unhealthy over the next few days.


Eastern WA will be impacted more from BC fires but winds will be stronger and help ventilate the Columbia Basin somewhat. Due to the many local fires, most sites- particularly near the Cascade foothills- will run from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups and Unhealthy. Far eastern WA might be lucky enough to see some green dots (Good air quality) popping up on the map by Saturday evening.

Don't breathe the smoke while beating the heat! Remember to turn your air conditioners to recirculate mode and use a HEPA filter if needed. Minimize outdoor exposure. Sensitive individuals should wear N95 masks.

Wildfire Smoke Safety

Smoke from wildfires is affecting much of Washington State. If there is smoke present in your area, follow these recommendations:

• Check news, social media and local reports for the latest air quality status.
• Avoid physical activity outdoors when conditions are "unhealthy", "very unhealthy" or “hazardous.”
• Keep doors and windows closed but be mindful of hot weather. Run air systems/AC on recirculate and the close fresh-air intake. Keep the air in your house clean.
• You need to take extra care if you have a heart or lung condition, diabetes, are pregnant or over 65, as well as infants and children. Seek medical attention if the smoke is affecting your health.

For more information: http://www.doh.wa.gov/smokefromfires

Humo de los incendios forestales

El humo de los incendios forestales está afectando a gran parte del estado de Washington. Si hay humo en su área, siga estas recomendaciones.

• Revise las noticias, medios sociales y reportajes locales sobre la calidad del aire.
• Evite las actividades al aire libre, especialmente cuando la calidad del aire está en las categorías “Dañino, Muy Dañino o Peligroso.”
• Mantenga las puertas y ventanas cerradas pero tenga cuidado con las altas temperaturas. Corra el AC en recircular y cierre el aire fresco. Mantenga el aire de su casa limpio.
• Tiene que tener extra cuidado si tiene una enfermedad al corazón o pulmón, tiene diabetes, está embarazada o sobre 65, al igual que los niños e infantes. Busque atención médica si el humo está afectando su salud.

https://go.usa.gov/xREdu

Smoke monster overran Washington but mother nature is fighting back

Wildfire smoke has just swamped us like never before. Here's the satellite picture from Wednesday afternoon:

Don't recall a time when every fine particle monitor in the state recorded poor air for a whole day. Here's how the 24-hr average air quality conditions looked on Wednesday.



Red = Unhealthy, Orange = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups and Yellow = Moderate.

Zoom out and overlay the smoke layer- wow! In an ironic twist, you can actually go to Los Angeles and breathe easier than in Washington's remote locations!



Not all doom and gloom though. Some models are advertising a shot of northwesterly air this evening and night, which will bring a little relief to western Washington that is so unaccustomed to being overrun by what Prof. Cliff Mass terms "Smokezilla". If this scenario pans out, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few locations from Seattle northward recording Good air overnight. Less pronounced further south, so expect Moderate or Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups overnight.

Winds are expected to pick up a little across the state on Friday. This will both fan the flames (red flag warnings galore) and blow away some smoke. Further improvements are likely in western WA although central and southeast WA are likely to get hit by a mixture of Montana and BC smoke at different times. But lighter winds return over the weekend, which will cause residual smoke to linger. Hard to tell if there will be a fresh infusion of BC wildfire smoke into western WA, but eastern WA will definitely get another dose. More details as the situation evolves.

Please pay attention to avoiding exposure to smoke by minimizing strenuous outdoor activities. Use discretion when opening windows at night to beat the heat, because this also brings poor air indoors.

Kittitas County Press Release: Poor Air Quality Conditions Expected to Continue for Several Days

 

 

Kittitas County Press Release Public Health For Immediate Release Poor Air Quality Conditions Expected to Continue for Several Days Kittitas County, WA - 08/03/2017 - Air quality in Kittitas County was listed as "unhealthy for sensitive groups" as of 8:00am on August 2, 2017 according to the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) air monitor located atop Hal Holmes Community Center in Ellensburg. Smoke as a result of several fires in Washington and British Columbia is affecting the air quality in Kittitas County and is expected to continue for several days. "Outdoor activities should take place when we have "good" air. When air quality changes to "moderate" or worse, we recommend people start making changes, including moving indoors," asserts Kittitas County Health Officer, Dr. Mark Larson. This recommendation is especially important to consider for outdoor activities currently taking place such as sports camps and practices.     KCPHD wants residents to be aware of current air quality conditions and take necessary steps to avoid negative health effects.  Air quality information can be accessed at any time via the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA) online https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/.  WAQA is a tool that measures the air quality with categories ranging from "good" to "hazardous" air.  Additional resources include the following:   Washington Smoke Blog http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ contains information about smoke as well as active wildfires. National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov/ has weather related alerts, including air quality. Washington State Department of Health's Wildfire Smoke page http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/AirQuality/SmokeFromFires/WildfireSmoke explains the harm of wildfire smoke. "Air Pollution and School Activities" table for specific recommendations for youth outdoor activities based on air quality conditions (also attached) http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/334-332.pdf   For more information about health concerns relating to air quality or informational resources, please contact KCPHD at (509)-962-7515.        8.2.17 Poor Air Quality Conditions in Kittitas County.pdf Air Pollution and School Activities- Public Health REcommendations.pdf Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us ### For more information: Contact: Holly Myers, Environmental Health Supervisor, 509-962-7515

 

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Notice: Email sent to Kittitas County may be subject to public disclosure as required by law

 

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Notice: Email sent to Kittitas County may be subject to public disclosure as required by law

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Notice: Email sent to Kittitas County may be subject to public disclosure as required by law

8/2/2017 Citizen Scientists can participate in testing of the "Smoke Sense" mobile application

Anyone with an Android phone in an area affected by wildfire smoke can participate in a study of a new app.  The Smoke Sense app is a publicly available mobile application developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Citizen scientists will be able to use the Smoke Sense app to learn about wildland fires and smoke health risks in their area.  They will then be prompted to anonymously report their health symptoms during wildland fires and the range of actions they are able or willing to take to improve their health condition or lower their exposure.   Users will earn badges each week they participate. 

EPA researchers are conducting the Smoke Sense study to:  1) determine the extent to which exposure to wildland fire smoke affects health and productivity, and 2) develop health risk communication strategies that protect public health during smoke days. 

Download and learn more about the Smoke Sense App at – https://www.epa.gov/air-research/smoke-sense  or at the Google Play store.

**Not yet available for Apple devices.

Smoke is getting cozy here. It blanketed us and plans to stay

Air quality degraded much faster than expected yesterday as the BC wildfire smoke blanketed the state. Here's a progression of satellite pictures taken last afternoon, evening and this morning. Only the high peaks of the Olympics and Cascades are able to stay above the smoke layer.

And a great timelapse from Greg Johnson, looking north from the Kitsap peninsula:

 

Air quality in Washington is among the worst in the country- hardly any communities with Good air. Not good!

So when will things clear out? Short answer: not fast enough.

A strong high pressure system is anchored over the state and is expected to remain well into next week. This will give us warm temperatures, abundant (smoke- filtered) sunshine, north/northeast winds in western WA, and north/ east winds in eastern WA. Crucially, no substantial west/ southwest winds on the horizon to flush out smoke.

So sadly statewide air quality is expected to vary between Moderate to Unhealthy at different times for the next several days. Instances of Very Unhealthy air cannot be ruled out. Slight improvements can be expected during the daytime, poor air at night.

As always please pay attention to the health warnings and precautions listed on our blog page.

8/1/2017 Afternoon satellite image of smoke over Washington

The Tuesday afternoon satellite image from today shows the extent of the smoke episode over Washington caused largely by smoke coming in from Canada and spreading south. More of the state monitors are now showing deteriorating air quality and conditions will likely get worse before they improve. (The corner of the state that is white? It's still waiting for the satellite to pass over.)

Monitor conditions as of 2pm Aug. 1

Follow the link below to see an animation of predicted smoke movement from the Canadian fires through tomorrow afternoon. (You may need to click on the right facing triangle under the image to start the animation.) It looks like much of the state will experience impacts.

https://weather.gc.ca/firework/firework_anim_e.html?type=em&utc=00

8/1/2017 What is impacting air quality in north central Washington?

We have some fires burning in Washington but it's a pretty good guess that much of the smoke impacts we're seeing in the north central part of the state are coming from Canada again. The image below is a satellite view from yesterday (today's image will be available later this afternoon) and you can see there is vastly more smoke lurking north of the border than is being produced by wildfires in our state. The second image shows all the fire activity they are still dealing with in Canada.

In Washington, the Diamond Creek fire in the Pasayten wilderness has been sending smoke into Winthrop and Twisp for the last week or so but the air quality impacts in Omak and Okanogan are probably due to smoke draining down the Okanogan valley from Canada. A new fire - the Suiattle fire - outside of Darrington is impacting air quality locally.