Smoke layer starts to erode by Friday night. Says "I'll be back"

Western Washingtonians have smelled a little smoke and seen more aloft. At the time of writing, not a single monitor is showing Good air anywhere east of the Cascades. Not a lot of wind movement between now and Friday evening, so smoke will just keep accumulating statewide. Fires are expected to grow.

Expecting some areas of Moderate air in western WA through Friday evening, while eastern WA will just keep seeing its air deteriorating air (Moderate or worse) through early Saturday morning.

A cold front will swing by Friday evening and start to flush out smoke. A windy and cooler weekend is likely in eastern WA, reducing smoke accumulation in most areas but also worsening fire spread.

9AM Thursday vertical smoke

11PM Friday vertical smoke

Here's what the total smoke layer through the atmosphere looks like today and late tomorrow. The cleaning power of nature will be on display in Washington! Oregon/ California smoke (which has mostly stayed aloft) will be less of a concern this weekend.

Expect mostly Good air in most of Western WA this weekend. Areas away from the fires are likely to scrub out (Good air) over the weekend, but increased smoke production from larger fires during frontal passage is likely to keep cities in Chelan and Okanogan counties at Moderate/ USG.


By early next week, still conditions are likely to return, ushering a return to smoke similar to what we've endured this week. Notice also in the figures above how a series of new fires in central British Columbia are producing a lot more smoke. Wind flows by Monday might start moving some of that smoke toward Washington.

In other news:

1. The US Forest Service has provided Washington with an Air Resource Advisor, who will be producing detailed, localized air quality forecasts for most cities in Chelan and Okanogan Counties, like the one just below this blog post.
2. New air monitors have been set up in Plain and Newport, with another en route to Republic. Air quality in those areas can tracked on the map above. Here's what the samplers look like. 

Smoke in the background is a solemn reminder of what people in those communities are enduring.

Smoke Outlook 8/9/18 for North Columbia Basin

8/8/2018 Status of Wildfires in Washington

Two major fires in Washington are the primary contributors to current air quality impacts east of the Cascades - Cougar Creek and Crescent Mountain are degrading air quality from Twisp and Chelan across the Columbia Basin to Spokane and beyond. Two additional fires near Spokane are adding to the unhealthy air quality in that area. The Miriam fire is sending smoke to the Yakima area. The Maple fire on the Olympic Peninsula is probably contributing smoke to the local area although the nearest monitors are not showing impacts at this point. A summary of major fires in the state follows. Leavenworth looks to be the only monitoring location today east of the Cascades with mostly Good air quality...for now.

Maple. 10 mi N of Hoodsport, WA. Start 8/4. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 286 acres. 5% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Road, area and trail closures. More info. here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6111/ and here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/olympic/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD590641

Maple Fire location

Cougar Creek. 25 mi W of Chelan, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 6,169 acres (+1,751). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Road and trail closures. Evacuations in effect. Structures, cultural resources and recreation threatened.More here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6053/ and here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD590644

Crescent Mtn. 16 mi W of Winthrop WA. Start 7/29. Point Zone Protection. Cause: Lightning. 7,177 acres (+0). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Structures, recreation, and timber threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, area closures. More here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6093/ and here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD590267

Ragged Butte. 12 mi E of Bridgeport, WA. Start 8/6. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 1,050 acres. 100% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Grass and brush. Road closures. No growth expected. Last report unless significant activity occurs.

Cougar Creek/Lost, Crescent Mtn., and Ragged Butte fire locations

Miriam. 25 mi SE of Mt Rainier. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 1,300 acres (+100). 9% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. White Pass Ski Resort and T&E species habitat threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail, and area closures. More here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6066/ and here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD590270

Miriam fire location

Angel Springs. 7 mi NE of Davenport, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 5,043 acres (+0). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber and bush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures. Continue burnout operations. More here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6094/

Silver Lake. 5 mi W Spokane, WA. Start 8/6. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 300 acres (+200). 20% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber and bush. Evacuations in effect. Structures threatened. Road closures. Washington State Fire Mobilization Authorized. Acreage increase due to better mapping.

Angel Springs and Silver Lake fire locations

Sheep Creek.  5 mi NW of North Port, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 458 acres (+23). 40% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Structures, commercial logging, radio repeater site, and lookout tower threatened. Road and area closures. 100% lined. Snaps tampering mop up progressing. More here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6088/

8/7/2018 Ways to protect yourself and your family from smoke

Wildfire smoke is in the air and parts of Washington state have been experiencing degraded air quality for days or weeks. The videos below share health advice and actions you can take to minimize your exposure to smoke and protect yourself and your family. The first is in English and the second is in Spanish.

8/7/2018 Public Notice and Air Quality Warning for Colville Reservation area

WA keeps accumulating smoke through Thursday

Puget Sounds Lowlands
Lots of social media pictures of pretty sunsets and crescent moon rises over western WA, courtesy of Oregon and California smoke. Adding to the mix is the Maple Fire, close to Hamma Hamma in the Olympic Peninsula- clearly seen sending a plume of smoke toward Seattle on yesterday's satellite picture.

Thus far most smoke has remained above or to the east of western WA but that seems to be changing. Between Tuesday & Thursday, the Puget Sound lowlands will likely see some combination of smoke from the fires mentioned above, and those along the Cascades' eastern foothills. Not much wind movement until late Thursday to flush things out, so expect conditions to mostly vary between Good and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Some periods of Unhealthy air are likely closer to fires. Good air is expected Friday- Saturday.

Whatcom and Skagit counties
Periodic east winds could bring in smoke from fires in the North Cascades, causing Moderate and USG air on occasion. Higher terrain might also see some California/ Oregon smoke mixing down.

Eastern WA
Sadly, with so many fires and so little wind, Unhealthy air will be quite common in addition to the oppressive heat. No respite through Friday at least, but that smoke clearing comes at a cost: a strong front passing through will worsen fire danger and spread.

Smoke above western WA, smoke everywhere in eastern WA

Air monitors are showing Good air in western Washington for now. Enjoy it while it lasts. Webcams, satellites and upper air data show that smoke from fires in southern Oregon and N. California is already overhead.

Models show some of this reaching the surface, particularly higher terrain in the coming days and air quality could degrade to USG by mid-week.

The forecast is this work week is for hot temperatures and light winds so smoke will not be flushing out easily. If it is any consolation, the upper level smoke blanket will (1) make the heat a tad bit more bearable by shaving off a few degrees, and (2) make for pretty sunsets.

Sunday evening saw a bunch of lightning strikes in the Cascades and we don't yet know the full extent of the damage and where any additional smoke might flow.

Eastern Washington is being hammered by smoke from multiple sources, described in Friday's blog post below. The Methow valley's air has hardly been cleaner than USG all weekend, but that hasnt prevented everyone from taking in what can be seen of the scenery☺.

Assuming smoke production from these fires continues, expect conditions to worsen as the week proceeds. Areas close to fires could see Very Unhealthy air while other areas will vary between Moderate and Unhealthy.

Ozone levels are likely to be high around the Tri Cities Tuesday & Wednesday due to wind patterns, likely worsened a bit by the presence of smoke.

Take home message: it is shaping up to be a challenging week, smoke wise. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the health-protection resources on this blog. If you dont have an A/C that can be operated in recirculation mode when it is smoky outside, use an indoor fan instead of opening windows to cool down your home.

8/3/2018 Status of Wildfires in Washington

August 3, 2018

Two wildfires in Washington in particular - Cougar Creek and Gilbert/Crescent Mtn. are emitting significant amounts of smoke which is then combining with smoke from other fires in Washington and Canada to cause air quality problems for northern parts of the Columbia Basin from Chelan and Twisp, to Wellpinit and Colville. The Miriam fire near White Pass and the new Bannock Lakes fire in Glacier Peak Wilderness are worth watching in the coming days. More information on fires in Washington is shown below with links for even more detail when available. 

New Fires

Saddle Mountain. 25 mi S of Moses Lake, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 1,000 acres. 49% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush. Agricultural and power line infrastructure threatened. Road closure.

Angel Springs. 7 mi NE of Davenport, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 600 acres. 0% containment. Timber and bush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect.  http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/aug/03/fire-north-of-reardan-grows-to-600-acres/

Bannock Lakes. In Glacier Peak Wilderness between Suiattle Pass and Blankenship Mountain. Approximately 7 miles northwest of Holden Village. 20 acres. Monitoring, no team assigned. Burning slowly in heavy timber in inaccessible terrain. Pacific Crest Trail closures in effect.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD590255

Ongoing Fires

Miriam. 25 mi SE of Mt Rainier. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 675 acres (+445). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. White Pass Ski Resort and T&E species habitat threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail, and area closures. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6066/

Cougar Creek. 25 mi W of Chelan, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 3,614 acres (+2,055). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Timber. Road and trail closures. Structures, cultural, recreation threatened. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6053/

Gilbert/Crescent Mtn. 16 mi W of Winthrop WA. Start 7/29. Point Zone Protection. Cause: Lightning. 5,000 acres (+3,000). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Structures, recreation, and timber threatened. Evacuations in effect. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6069/

Sheep Creek. 5 mi NW of North Port, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 249 acres (+103). 5% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Structures, commercial logging, radio repeater site, and lookout tower threatened. Road and area closures. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6088/

Smoky Conditions Across NorthEast Washington

Smoke was clearly visible from local fires yesterday, not a good sign of things to come.

VIIRS Imagery from Thurday Afternoon

People across northern Washington, from Omak to the Spokane tribe, woke up to Unhealthy air quality this morning.   Air has even degraded to Very Unhealthy at times, due to smoke from multiple fires being carried east.  

  

PM2.5 Monitors - Friday Morning

Unfortunately, windy conditions will persist throughout the day, which will likely cause more fire growth and generate even more smoke.  The winds will have the benefit of momentarily clearing out smoke at times, but probably not for long.  The image below shows the path that smoke is expected to travel today, starting at the fire locations shown as red squares.  You can see how the area around the Spokane Tribe Reservation is being hit by multiple plumes!

HYSPLIT Forward Trajectory Forecasts from Fire Locations - Friday Morning

Winds are expected to die down over the weekend, as temperatures increase.  This means that smoke should disperse from Eastern Washington late today but people in North-Central Washington will likely see smoke persist locally around the large fires through the weekend and experience Unhealthy air quality at times.  It's only early August, so this could be just the beginning of persistent smoky conditions.

8/1/2018 Status of Wildfires in Washington

August 1, 2018

Most of the smoke impacts in Washington so far this year have originated from wildfires outside of the state but that is changing as a few local wildfires of some significance develop. One fire in particular is beginning to cause problems - the town of Chelan is experiencing air quality impacts from the Cougar Creek fire today and evacuations are in effect near Entiat. (More info. on Cougar Creek fire can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD589873 )

Cougar Creek Fire. Credit: Don Strand, Fire Behavior Analyst

Fires of Note in Washington right now:

New Fires 

Milepost 90. Wishram, WA. Start 7/31. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 10,000 acres. 20% containment. Active fire behavior. Grass and brush. Evacuations in place.

Ongoing Fires

Cougar Creek. 25 mi W of Chelan, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 803 acres (+453). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Timber. Trail closures. Structures, cultural, recreation threatened.

Chelan Hills. 2 mi E of Chelan, WA. Start 7/27. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 1,842 acres (+0). 97% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass, brush, and timber.  

Warner Gulch. 11 mi SW of Asotin, WA. Start 7/28. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 470 acres. 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush. Community of Cloverland Ridge, T&E species habitat, timber, wildlife, and agriculture threatened.

HWY 24 Command. 17 mi E of Yakima, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 1,800 acres (+0). 60% containment. Active fire behavior. Grass and brush. Road and Area Closures.

Sheep Creek. 5 mi NW of North Port, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 146 acres (+26). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Spotting. Timber. Steep terrain. Timber resources threatened. Dozer line around much of the fire. Finishing line on E side.

Lake Wallula. 5 mi E of Umatilla, WA. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 12,462 acres. 96% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Important Note

The list of fires above and the map below comes from the local wildland fire Interagency Coordination Center (https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/) which tracks large fires (100+ acres in timber or 300+ acres in grass/brush) and/or incidents with a Type 1 or 2 incident management team assigned. Small fires or new fires won’t show up on their list.

Smoke cleaning cycle in progress. Slow improvement in eastern WA

You've gotta see this in action!

Satellite picture around 10:30AM Tuesday shows smoke ahead of and clear conditions behind the well-defined northwest-southeast oriented frontal boundary over western WA.


Next satellite at about 1:30PM shows how the front pushed further east, clearing smoke in its wake.


Western WA has mostly Good air now, though a new fire on Harstine Island sent light smoke toward Tacoma last evening. This is not expected to continue much longer as crews are reportedly making good progress with this ~20 acre fire. Forecast for western WA is for mostly Good air through the weekend, barring new fires.

Forecast for eastern WA

Gradual clearing has already commenced, with more green dots (= Good air) appearing on the map. Wind speeds will ramp up Wednesday & Thursday, elevating fire growth concerns. Today's satellite pictures show smoke from fires in BC, Okanogan and Chelan Counties spilling lots of smoke into eastern WA. Stronger winds will dilute these somewhat, but some smoke is expected. Here's what the Forest Service's BlueSky smoke model is predicting for Friday (darker red = more smoke; a fire near the Methow Valley is not reflected in this).

Forecast is for mostly Good to air further from the fires through about Sunday, while locations closer to the fires shown above could see conditions deteriorate to Moderate or even USG levels. 

The atmosphere has started a self-clean cycle

Western Washingtonians awoke to cleaner air today as marine air started to displace accumulated smoke and usher in a cool-down. The Siberian, Californian and Oregonian smoke taps are being throttled down. All fine particle pollution monitors west of the Cascades have dropped down to Good levels this morning. North Bend still has Moderate air but is clearing out rapidly. This welcome cleaning cycle is poised to reach eastern WA by late today, but there is a caveat. Read on.

Yesterday's satellite picture overlaid with air quality data (Green= Good; Yellow= Moderate) shows smoke from various sources lingering over much of the state, giving rise to Moderate air in many places.

Forecast for western WA
The good news is that we don't expect a return to hazy skies within the next week, as long range forecasts indicate cooler-than-normal temperatures and the possibility of rain in western WA and the Cascades within the next 5-7 days. Yessss!

Eastern WA forecast
The weather pattern shift will indeed help flush out lingering smoke over the next two days, but the catch is that strong winds starting late tonight will enhance fire danger. Depending on fire growth, areas of USG air are possible over the next two days, particularly close to fires. Not expecting areas further from fires to deteriorate beyond Moderate between now and Thursday. Good news is that there wont be a return to hot and dry conditions; cooler temperatures late this week will aid firefighting efforts. Good air is looming on the horizon.

Light smoke over western Washington. It gets worse before it gets better

The light smoke blanketing much of eastern Washington has started to bleed west of the Cascades, further exacerbated by some fairly new fires in particular the Wrong Creek fire close to Mount Rainier. Tacoma, Puyallup and Auburn saw Moderate air on Saturday mostly due to the latter, and North Bend is currently experiencing Moderate air.

Here's the map of lightning over the last 24 hours. Thunderstorms in the Cascades on Saturday might have sparked off new fires but we don't have a handle on those yet. A red flag warning is in effect for the Cascades from now through 11PM on Monday, so fires will likely grow.

Expect a very hot, dry and relatively wind-less Sunday and Monday statewide. What this means for smoke Sunday and Monday:

King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties

Winds will be driven by terrain, meaning smoke will likely drain into communities along the Cascade foothills and perhaps closer to some of the larger cities overnight. Light amounts of that Siberian/ BC smoke overhead may mix to the surface during the day, more so at higher elevations. Expect Moderate air at times, though pockets of USG cannot be ruled out. Air should be mostly Good further west of the Cascades.

Most of eastern WA

Siberian smoke continues to cause Moderate/ USG air in much of eastern WA, with fires along the BC border, the Chelan Hills fire and other smaller fires also contributing. This is likely to continue through Tuesday, with any new fires adding more smoke to the mix. Some areas of Unhealthy air are possible.

When will it clear?

A wind shift and cool down happens in western WA on Tuesday, commencing a slow removal of smoke. Eastern WA has to wait until Wednesday. Winds are expected to be strong during the transition, raising fire growth concerns even as smoke flushes out.

Eurasian, Siberian, Alaskan and BC fires sending smoke over much of the northern US

Long range transport of wildfire smoke in full cry.

Most of Eastern WA has seen Moderate air since Thursday evening when smoke plumes from the north moved over the state. The Cascades has kept the smoke from reaching western WA thus far.

A satellite product showing fine particles throughout the atmosphere (known as Aerosol Optical Depth) looks like this. Yellow  --> Orange --> red = increasing smoke. Lots more smoke sitting to our north!

Forecast for eastern WA

Models suggest that this pattern of northerly flow will continue for a few more days and some of this smoke will continue to mix to the surface. Expect Moderate air during the night and USG-ish during the day throughout much of eastern WA. This is because nighttime temperature inversions act as a lid over the lower atmosphere and prevent smoke aloft mixing to the surface, although smoke already at the surface will continue to linger. More smoke will mix down during daytime.

Areas close to some of the many smaller fires could experience worse conditions. Please take note of the health precautions mentioned on this website.

Tri Cities Ozone

Conditions on Friday and Saturday are conducive for ozone formation, and might be slightly aided by some smoke. Lots of visitors expected at the boat races this weekend, likely adding to the traffic emissions. Moderate to USG ozone levels are very likely, so please do your part to reduce ozone- forming pollutants.

Western WA forecast

Some hints that winds might drive a bit of smoke west of the Cascades. Not expecting conditions to deteriorate beyond Moderate over the weekend. Any smoke that mixes down to the surface isnt expected to dissipate much until Tuesday. 

Smoke to south, smoke to the north, smoke to the east and then some ozone

First things first. No major smoke impacts in the state right now and air is mostly Good, although there are areas of Moderate air close to fires in eastern WA and over western WA this morning. Here's yesterday's satellite picture overlaid with air monitoring data

Smoke to the south
Mainly from fires in southwestern Oregon, this smoke will remain to our south for the next few days.

Smoke to the north
The same northerly windflow that keeps the Oregon smoke at bay will push the Siberian wildfire smoke closer to Washington. As can be seen above, the northern BC air quality monitors didnt show very poor air yesterday, so a lot of this smoke might just remain aloft. However this morning's readings and satellite pictures suggest some smoke over western Washington, leading to Moderate air. Winds seem to move most of the smoke east of the Cascades but since none of the forecast models are seeing this smoke as yet, it is hard to say how much of it will mix to the surface. Expect air over the metro areas to be a mix of Good, Moderate and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups through Friday at least.

The northerly flow will last through the weekend so the potential for Siberian smoke- depending on how much of it is present to our north- remains a risk, particularly in eastern WA. Winds shift a bit by Sunday and there might be enough of a southerly vector to transport some Oregon smoke into Western WA by then. Bears watching.

Smoke to the east
Several fires have been detected. One near the Okanogan County/ British Columbia border will likely be sending smoke into the Omak and Methow areas for a few more days. Expect periods of Moderate and USG air.

And finally, elevated ozone levels were observed in the Tri Cities yesterday (minimally influenced by wildfire smoke) and could be present again today. More on that topic in a newspaper article from a few days ago.

Spokane Prepping for Poor Air Quality

Written by,

Dr. Bob Lutz, Health Officer, Spokane Regional Health District

With Spokane’s history in recent summers of poor air quality due to regional wildfires, it is no longer an issue of “if” air quality will be a concern in the summer, but “when.”

Spokane Regional Health District is grateful to its partners like Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), weather and fire officials, and so many more who join us in urging residents, when air quality is unhealthy, to take specific precautions to protect their health, like staying indoors. This year, however, we want our community to get ahead of the curve in preparing. There are several things people can be doing now to protect themselves and others before the smoke rolls in.

First, it helps to understand what wildfire smoke is and why it can be harmful. It is a mix of gases and fine particles that can make anyone sick. Breathing in smoke can have immediate health effects, including coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, stinging eyes, increased heartrate, headaches and tiredness. Certain populations are at risk for acute respiratory problems from wildfire smoke, such as those with asthma and chronic bronchitis. These individuals should have a plan in place with their medical provider to manage their respiratory and/or heart health. Children are also at increased risk due to their developing respiratory systems and breathing rates, especially when playing.

Based on air quality and health status, choose your summer activities wisely. Pay attention to local air quality reports. Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency offers a current, regional air quality index at spokanecleanair.org/current-air-quality. While you’re there, sign up for air quality alerts via email or text. The values are updated hourly and put more weight on the most recent air pollution reading.

When air quality enters the ‘Moderate’, or yellow range, if you have asthma, diabetes, lung or heart disease; have had a stroke; or are currently experiencing a respiratory infection, consider limiting your outdoor activities or choose those of lesser effort. This should definitely be your plan if we move into the orange range, or ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’.

For healthy individuals, the ‘Unhealthy’, or red range, is your signal to limit outdoor activities. In these conditions, everyone should avoid exercising outdoors and at-risk groups should stay indoors. Once we enter the purple and maroon ranges, everyone should stay indoors. You should close your windows and, if available, run the air conditioner on re-circulate. Wait until air quality is better before you go back outside.

For people who have to work outside, drink lots of water and check with your employer about taking more frequent breaks. According to L&I, employers are not required to provide masks and for good reason. As far as masks are concerned, paper "comfort" or "dust" masks are not the answer, and this applies to all individuals, not just outdoor workers. These masks are only designed to trap large particles, such as sawdust, meaning they do not protect lungs from the fine particles in smoke.

Respirator masks labeled N95 or N100 provide some protection, if, and I do emphasize if, they are fitted properly—a challenge when it comes to facial hair. These masks filter out some fine particles, but not the hazardous gases in smoke such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and acrolein. Respirator masks are also not intended for kids or long-term exposure. Our guidance is always to reduce exposure by staying indoors. More tips for a safe wildfire season can be found on our site at www.srhd.org

Dr. Bob Lutz

Dr. Lutz is a board-certified family medicine physician who is currently the health officer for Spokane County.


About Spokane Regional Health District

As a leader and partner in public health, Spokane Regional Health District protects, improves and promotes the health and well-being of people through evidence-based practices. The agency is one of 34 local public health agencies serving Washington state's 39 counties. It has approximately 250 employees and serves a population of more than 500,000 in Spokane County. For more information visit www.srhd.org. The health district’s website offers comprehensive, updated information about Spokane Regional Health District and its triumphs in making Spokane a safer and healthier community. Become a fan of SRHD on Facebook to receive local safety and wellness tips. You can also follow the agency on Twitter @spokanehealth.

Fires sending smoke to Northeast Washington

Spokane and other parts of Eastern Washington appear to have been hit by smoke from fires near the US/Canadian border and possibly the Boylston Fire near Yakima early this morning.  The Boylston fire grew to 70,000 acres overnight and has the potential to generate a lot of smoke over a short period. Air quality has been Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in many parts of eastern Washington but has reached Unhealthy levels in others.  Winds from the west should push some of the smoke out of the area today, but we expect a resurgence of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups air quality late tonight and Saturday morning.  Residents near the Canadian border in Okanogan county may also see smoky conditions in the cooler hours as smoke drains down the valleys from Canada.

Smoke traveling across eastern Washington into Idaho this morning - GOES-EAST Imagery

Upriver Beacon Fire in Spokane and Fires in Oregon

The Upriver Beacon Fire near Camp Sekani Park has caused visible smoke and haze around Spokane.  Several crews responded to the fire and recent news reports say firefighters built a line completely around the 115 acre fire, minimizing the chance of more fire growth.  All mandatory evacuations have been lifted but Beacon Hill, Shields Park, and Camp Sekani are closed on Wednesday.  We expect the fire to cause smoke and haze in the area today, with southwesterly winds blowing most of the plume to the northeast of Spokane Valley.  Current air quality around the Spokane area is Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, which could persist throughout the day.

There are also fires in Oregon that have pushed smoke towards Walla Walla, Clarkston, and other communities in southeastern Washington.  The Substation Fire has grown to nearly 30,000 acres and will continue to grow, but a new fire in Heppner was mostly put out.  Westerly winds are expected to blow smoke from Oregon to the east, mostly missing Washington, but causing some intermittent Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups smoke intrusions for the next couple days.

PM2.5 in micrograms per cubic meter for Clarkston, Walla Walla, and Spokane

Light smoke over Seattle courtesy of Kings Landing Fire near Shelton

Moderate air quality was recorded at several Seattle area monitors this morning. It appears that winds are transporting smoke from a 62-acre fire near Shelton. Communities closer to the fires are likely experiencing worse conditions.

Assuming the fire continues to burn, models suggest that winds will transport light smoke over the area until Wednesday, with Moderate air expected tonight and tomorrow morning. Smoke should dissipate during the afternoons, leading to Good air. A wind shift and increase in speed is likely on Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon, so less smoke impacts are expected during that time.

Please make use of the resources on this blog to safeguard your health during smoke episodes.

2018 wildfire season is at our doorstep. Are you ready?

First, the good news

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.