Smoke Outlook for North Columbia Basin 8/12/18

Smoke outlook for North Columbia Basin 08/11/18

Weekend smoke update: yes it will get better, but there's a catch

Prefer a video chat of the forecast?

Ecology and DNR staff discuss the smoke forecast and health-protection steps you can take:




Prefer the forecast the same old way?

Satellite picture from this morning shows a lot of smoke overhead and fires in the Cascades puffing out a lot of smoke.

The clouds offshore are a harbinger of a cold front that will clear things out by tonight into Saturday. Most of western WA should see Good air this weekend, but there might be some lightning on Saturday so the potential exists for new fire starts.

Much of eastern Washington has been choking and frying all week but will see some improvement, both from smoke and heat. Areas further from the fires are likely to enjoy Good air and this is a great time to throw open all the doors and windows to flush out homes.

Unfortunately areas closer to the fires, especially Chelan and Okanogan counties will only enjoy modest improvements.

Catch-22
Them winds dont come with no string attached. They're strong enough to worsen fire growth. Early next week we're likely to see a return to calmer conditions so fresh smoke will not dissipate easily.

Staying Safe in Extreme Heat and Poor Air Quality: Conversation with Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer, Dr. Bob Lutz

Need your questions answered by Dr. Lutz? Visit SRHD's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/spokanehealth/

Smoke Outlook for North Columbia Basin 8/10/18

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