7/29/2013 Large Fire Update for Central WA

In Central Washington, we have two large fires and several small fires.  The large fires are named Colockum Tarps: located 12 miles SE of Wenatchee and Mile Marker 28: 15 miles NE of Goldendale.  Please select the linked tabs on this blog to find current information.  We are watching these fires closely for large scale smoke impacts to nearby communities.

The satellite image below (taken on Sunday afternoon) clearly shows how smoke is drifting across the Columbia Basin in eastern Washington. Much of this smoke remains aloft at this time, although some of the air quality monitors are picking up occasional spikes of ground level smoke.

Smoke forecast: Expect high levels of smoke close to the fires, particularly in the afternoon hours. Nighttime drainage flows can also cause smoke to pool in nearby valleys. Further downwind, smoke impacts will occur mostly during the night, with some daytime clearing. Expect air quality in several areas be Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, except closer to the fires where things could be worse. Although several wildfires are burning in Oregon and Idaho, we don’t expect significant smoke impacts from them at this time.

The possibility of thunderstorms and potentially wetter weather later in the week carries the risk of more lightning-caused wildfires, while also alleviating fire/ smoke spread.

Local media updates: Goldendale area  Wenatchee area:

Fire Facts- Colockum Tarps WA-WFS-402. IMT2 (Nickey). 12 mi SE of Wenatchee, WA. Start 7/27,2013. Full Suppression. Grass, brush. Cause unknown. 7,000 acres (+6,000). 0% containment. WA State Fire mobilization authorized. Evacuations in effect. Type 2 WA Team 4 (Nickey) transitioning in. Active fire behavior.

Mile Marker 28 WA-YAA-000081. IMT2 (Rabe). 15 mi NE of Goldendale, WA. Start 7/24/2013. Full Suppression. Timber, brush. Cause Unknown. 17,171 acres (+8,215). 25% containment. Hwy 97 remains closed. Active fire behavior. Level 2 and 3 evacuation notifications have been issued on southern perimeter. WA Fire Marshal Office fire mobilization authorized 7/26.

Satellite imagery

7/8/2013 No Significant Air Quality Impacts Expected from Current Wildfires

Two wildfires are currently burning in Washington: the 25 Mile fire near Manson and Lake Chelan, and the Rattlesnake fire 25 miles SE of Keller, WA.  Neither fire is expected to cause significant air quality impacts beyond some very light haze, such as can be seen in the picture below taken near the 25 Mile fire. Some residents in areas very close to the fires could experience some more significant smoke and should take precautions if particularly sensitive.  More on the 25-Mile fire (including areas subject to evacuation) can be found here: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3493/

7/8/2013 Wildfire Season is Here

Summer brings hot days, thunderstorms, and the potential for wildfires. We have already seen a few human-caused fires in Omak, Yakima, and Kennewick. If a large wildfire with serious smoke impacts occurs, we will begin posting smoke and air quality updates to this blog.

In the meantime, the Washington State Department of Health just came out with some new guidance for schools on how to deal with air pollution and wildfire smoke. School’s out for now, but it’s a good idea to review what to do now so you can be ready in the fall. You can find the guidance on the DOH website here: Air Pollution and School Activities

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments section and we will answer them.

10-15-2012 Smoke Blog Now Deactivated

Due to lessening wildfire risk and much improved air quality, this Washington Smoke Information Blog has been deactivated.  It will be available again next fire season if needed.  The best place to learn about current air quality conditions in Washington is from the Department of Ecology at this site: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/

This blog site was created in September 2012 to rapidly provide air quality and health information in response to public concerns from wildfire smoke.  The goal was to provide coordinated, timely and public “one-stop information” so that individuals could make informed decisions to protect their health.  During a wildfire smoke incident, this blog will be used to provide links to critical information that the public may be concerned about, such as air quality conditions and forecasts, school and activity closures, burn bans, location of clean air shelters, and travel restrictions due to visibility. Information posted on the blog is coordinated by an informal team of state, federal, tribal and local agencies striving to provide consistent and accurate information during air quality smoke incidents from wildfires.

The links on this blog that connect to the various agencies that provide information on smoke, wildfire and health management will continue to work.

We would like to hear from you if you have questions or comments.  Please contact Janice Peterson at jlpeterson@ fs.fed.us

Thank you for your interest.

10-12-2012 1645 Governor Lifts Burn Ban for Western WA

Gov. Gregoire to lift burn ban for Western Washington

OLYMPIA – Due to today’s rainfall and additional rain in the forecast, Gov. Chris Gregoire this afternoon modified a statewide burn ban to lift the ban for counties in Western Washington starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13th. For all counties east of the Cascades, an emergency proclamation declaring a State of Emergency and banning all outdoor burning will remain in effect through midnight Monday, Oct. 15th.

“Today’s rain is a welcome change,” Gregoire said. “The new weather pattern now covering parts of our state eliminates the need to continue the burn ban in Western Washington. With that said, now is not the time to let down our guard. I urge all Washingtonians to continue to take extra caution to prevent additional human-caused fires. And given the on-going dry conditions east of the Cascades, it makes sense to continue to ban all outdoor burning in Eastern Washington. We must continue to take every step possible to ensure firefighters on the ground can continue to focus on the challenges at hand.”

Gregoire made her decision after consulting with Department of Natural Resources Director Peter Goldmark and Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste.

The burn ban still in place for Eastern Washington prohibits all outdoor burning, including but not limited to:

•           Campfires

•           Bonfires

•           Residential yard debris clean-up, trash disposal, land clearing, weed abatement and agricultural burning activity

•           Ignition of fireworks. 

Liquid fueled or gas-fueled stoves are permitted provided that use is conducted over a non-flammable surface and is at least five feet from flammable vegetation. Charcoal grills are permitted at private residences under the same conditions.

Meanwhile, air quality is still a concern in Eastern Washington. According to the state’s Department of Ecology, Trout Lake was experiencing “hazardous” air quality during the morning hours today, mostly due to strong smoke impacts from nearby wildfires. Monitors showed the air in Cashmere, Entiat, Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Toppenish, Rosalia, Pullman, and Maple Falls was “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Ecology is monitoring air quality across Washington state where smoke-filled air remains.

To check for air quality monitoring information, visit: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/air_monitoring_data/WAQA_Intro_Page.html

Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Health is providing answers to frequently asked questions about wildfire smoke here: http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/AirQuality/OutdoorAir/SmokeFromFires.aspx

 

 

Air quality and smoke forecast on Friday 10/12/2012 at 8AM PDT

Central Washington Air Quality Report from US Forest Service Temporary Monitors

Cashmere- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Cle Elum- Good
Entiat- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Pateros -Good
Quincy - Good
Trout Lake- Hazardous

For statewide monitoring information, please see https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa

Smoke dispersion forecast

Light rain has already begun falling in western WA this morning and winds are slowly picking up. Not much rain resulting from this front in eastern WA, but winds will pick up and help with smoke dispersion, starting  this afternoon. The uptick in winds will precede any precipitation, so it is likely that there will be areas of windblown dust around the Columbia Basin today. Some patchy, light rain is possible in eastern WA on Saturday with more rain Sunday through Monday. We can expect a trend toward improving air quality from today through Monday, just about everywhere in Washington State. Models suggest that the Lewis-Clark valley might be the last to clear out, as winds may not immediately penetrate down into the valley.

Though rains wont entirely extinguish wildfires in eastern WA or central ID, the threat of persistent smoke will abate for the next several days.

While firefighters are close to containing some of the large wildfires, bear in mind that containment does not imply the absence of smoke. Wildfires can continue to produce low-buoyancy smoldering plumes for weeks. These can easily remain trapped close to the ground and impact nearby communities. Wildfires in central Idaho have been pouring smoke into area valleys for weeks. Easterly winds - though not expected in the immediate future - could transport this smoke into the Palouse and Lewis-Clark valley, as they did yesterday.

This is the last planned wildfire smoke forecast for now. However we are closely monitoring conditions associated with smoke dispersion, be it from wildfires, agricultural/ outdoor burning, or woodstove use. If any significant air quality impacts are expected, they will be addressed through the usual channels and mechanisms.

Questions? Please contact:

Ranil Dhammapala
Washington State Department of Ecology
Tel: 360-407-6807
Email: ranil.dhammapala@ecy.wa.gov

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The National Weather Service's Air Quality Alert for Douglas, Chelan and Kittitas Counties expires at noon today:
http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=otx&wwa=air%20quality%20alert

The Governor's burn has covering all Washington Counties expires at midnight Monday October 15th. The Governor's proclamation (http://www.governor.wa.gov/proclamations/pr_12-17.pdf) allows for local fire departments to issue written permits that approve specific burning activities.  Please work with your local fire jurisdiction and your Ecology burn team staff to get the needed written authorization for specific agricultural burns. In some areas, air quality concerns or local fire danger may preclude burning during this extraordinary wildfire event.

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Air quality on Thursday 10/11/2012 at 7AM PDT

Central Washington Air Quality Report from US Forest Service Temporary Monitors
Cashmere- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Cle Elum- Good
Entiat- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Pateros -Good
Quincy - Good
Trout Lake- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

For statewide monitoring information, please check https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa
Another very useful webpage for hourly and 24 hour data is http://airgraphing.pscleanair.org

No major changes to the smoke dispersion forecast issued yesterday. Next update on Friday morning.

Questions? Please contact:

Ranil Dhammapala
Washington State Department of Ecology
Tel: 360-407-6807
Email: ranil.dhammapala@ecy.wa.gov

Current conditions and smoke dispersion forecast for Wednesday 10/10/2012

Issued by:
Ranil Dhammapala
Washington State Department of Ecology
Tel: 360-407-6807
Email: ranil.dhammapala@ecy.wa.gov

Central Washington Air Quality Report from US Forest Service Temporary Monitors
Cashmere- Unhealthy for sensitive Groups.
Cle Elum- Good
Entiat- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Pateros -Good
Quincy - Good
Trout Lake- Unhealthy

For statewide monitoring information, please check https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/
Another very useful webpage for hourly and 24 hour data is http://airgraphing.pscleanair.org/

Forecast
Trout Lake is recording Unhealthy air this morning, and there is more orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) in Western WA than in eastern WA: Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Cashmere, Entiat and Clarkston in eastern WA, as opposed to 7 sites west of the Cascades. Data from the Maple Falls site (currently Very Unhealthy) are suspect. Remaining sites both east and west of the Cascades are about evenly split between Good and Moderate air quality. Light to moderate winds throughout much of eastern WA last afternoon helped reduce the fine particle levels. In Western WA, winds weakened during the day and night and allowed woodsmoke to accumulate in several areas.

Calm conditions are expected in most of the state today, although areas near the Cascade gaps and the Okanogan river valley might see moderate winds, before they die down overnight. This will help with smoke dispersion, but will also push some smoke into the Basin. There will be areas of eastern WA where dispersion remains less-than-optimal through Friday evening, so expect air quality to be a mixture of Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Areas closest to wildfires are likely to see air that is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or Unhealthy.

Changes occur on Friday evening onward, when winds pick up as a warm front approaches. Eastern WA may not get much precipitation with this system, but it will certainly assist dispersion. Several other weather systems are also likely over the weekend, and this is good news for smoke impacted communities. It is fair to expect improving air quality as the weekend progresses. The exact location(s) and timing of precipitation however is uncertain at this point.

Unless there are significant changes to the forecast, another update will be issued on Friday morning.

The National Weather Service issued an Air Quality Alert for Douglas, Chelan and Kittitas Counties through noon Friday:
http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=otx&wwa=air%20quality%20alert

The burn ban has been extended to cover all Washington Counties, and runs through midnight Monday October 15th. The Governor's proclamation (http://www.governor.wa.gov/proclamations/pr_12-17.pdf) allows for local fire departments to issue written permits that approve specific burning activities. Please work with your local fire jurisdiction and your Ecology burn team staff to get the needed written authorization for specific agricultural burns. In some areas, air quality concerns or local fire danger may preclude burning during this extraordinary wildfire event.

Tuesday 10/9: No major changes to yesterday's smoke forecast

No major changes to yesterday's smoke dispersion forecast. Another update will be issued on Wednesday morning.

Questions about the forecast? Please contact:

Ranil Dhammapala
Washington State Department of Ecology
Tel: 360-407-6807
Email: ranil.dhammapala@ecy.wa.gov

10/09/12 Air Monitor 0800 PDT update

10-09-12 Air Monitor Update 0800 PDT

Central Washington Air Quality Report from Forest Service Temporary Monitor Locations Cashmere-  Unhealthy Cle Elum- Good Entiat- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Pateros -Good Quincy - Moderate Trout Lake- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

If you need monitoring information, please check this webpage: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/

Another very useful webpage for a grab hourly and 24 hour data, Puget Sound Clean Air and their air quality tool: http://airgraphing.pscleanair.org/

Governor Gregoire’s emergency proclamation and statewide burn ban http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1980&newsType=1