As of now, there are no major fires or large areas of smoke anywhere in Washington State. Smaller fires have mostly burned out or are under control and yesterday's satellite picture overlaid with air quality data shows near-ideal conditions statewide. Green dots = Good air quality. Some light density smoke was present aloft between Walla Walla and Hermiston, OR.
Now for a few words of warning
The National Weather Service in Spokane released this graphic that says it all:
Thankfully there is little to no moisture associated with this cold front so the chance of lightning is low. So to get through this weekend unscathed, we need to minimize human- caused fires. Fire danger is high due to dryness, so we must be vigilant.
Winds will die down Sunday through Tuesday so smoke from any new fires will pool around the sources.
What can we do?
It goes without saying that we need to do our part to prevent human- caused fires. Plenty of resources on that topic available here, here, here and here. And, as explained in the previous post, prepare yourself for smoke. It's only a matter of time before it shows up.
We will provide smoke forecasts on an as-needed basis, giving y'all as much lead time as we can. Keep watching this space.
