8/17/2018 Wildfire in Washington Update

Lightning over the last 24 hours has ignited a few new fires in the state although the story for Washington fires remains the large Cougar Creek, Crescent Mtn., and McLeod fires in the Okanogan/Wenatchee National Forest. Crescent Mtn in particular became active yesterday and spotted into a new area. Summaries of fires shown below. Much more info for most is available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/?state=49 .
Smoke from these fires continues to degrade air quality from Winthrop and Twisp, south to Entiat and Wenatchee, and east to Republic, Colville, and Inchelium. For the time being, meteorological conditions have kept smoke from fires in Canada north of the border but the fires in Canada are still large, numerous, and active and it would seem that smoke is likely to head toward Washington again in a few days. So if you're in an area that is experiencing good air quality this is your chance to get out and go for that run or take the kids out to play because conditions look like they will change back to smoky again by late in the day on Sunday.

Westside/Olympic Penninsula
Maple. 10 mi N of Hoodsport, WA. Start 8/4. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 1,464 acres (+100). 52% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. T&E habitat threatened. Road, trail and area closures.

Yakima Area
Miriam. 25 mi SE of Mt Rainier. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 2,650 acres (+250). 10% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Evacuations in effect. White Pass Ski Resort and T&E species habitat threatened. Road, trail and area closures.

New: Winnier Road. 13 mi SE of Toppenish, WA. Start 08/16. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 349 acres. Lined. Limited information available.

Methow Valley/Chelan/Entiat Area

McLeod. 8 mi N of Mazama, WA. Start 8/11. Monitor/Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 3,948 acres (+1,148). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened.

Crescent Mtn. 16 mi W of Winthrop WA. Start 7/29. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 19,700 acres (+2,824). 37% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Structures, recreation and timber threatened. Evacuation notices. Road, trail and area closures. 

Cougar Creek. 25 mi W of Chelan, WA. Start 7/28. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 34,482 acres (+2,874). 35% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and slash. Evacuation notices. Area restrictions, road, trail and area closures. Structures, cultural resources, timber, infrastructure and recreation threatened.

Colville Area

Boyds. 3 mi W of Kettle Falls, WA. Start 08/11. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 3,065 acres (+65). 27% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and grass. Evacuations in effect. Major highway closures and structures threatened.

Horns Mountain. 9 mi NE of Orient, WA. Start 08/11. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,293 acres (+105). 15% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Timber threatened.

Pronóstico de Humo para el Cuenca de Columbia Norte 17/8

North Columbia Basin Smoke Outlook for 8/17/18

Pronóstico de Humo para el Cuenca de Columbia Norte 16/8

Breathe a Little Fresh Air... Please!

A lot of Western Washington saw the smoke clear out last night and through this morning.  The air quality is in the Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range in most western locations and it should clear up even more through today.

PM2.5 Across Washington (8 - 9 am; Thursday)

This westerly flow that we are experiencing should also bring some momentary relief Friday evening for residents in counties like Kittitas, Grant, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla.  Neighboring counties may also see a bit of clearing.  Air quality in central and eastern Washington will vary, but with the nearby fires, residents in Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties should expect continued smoky conditions through the weekend.

Unfortunately, these winds also mean there is a potential for fire growth...

And, now for the really bad news, the forecast for Sunday night is for winds from the north which could add more smoke from Canada into the region.

Smoke Outlook for North Columbia Basin 8/16/18

A little clearing in Western Washington

Many people in Western Washington are wondering... when will this smoke clear out?  Thankfully we have seen a little clearing start to occur this afternoon. Some monitors in Western Washington are down to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups and a couple are even down to Moderate.  Most monitors in Western Washington are still in the Unhealthy range due to lingering smoke, but more clearing is expected through tonight and tomorrow.  It may be short lived, but we expect at least a couple days of cleaner air coming up.

Be thankful you aren't in Alberta!  Take a look at the giant smoke storm that traveled east over Canada today.

MODIS Image for 11 am on Wednesday
Fire Locations Shown in Red

Prognóstico de Humo Cuenca para el Cuenca de Columbia Norte 15/8

Don't Tough it Out!

Daycares, camps and school sports practices should be held indoors when the air quality is poor. 

When the smoke levels are unhealthy, it is recommended that outdoor activities be restricted for everyone, especially those in sensitive groups who could have a wide range of health effects. Sensitive groups include those with health conditions, infants, children, pregnant women and people over 65.

Keep smoke out of buildings. If there is no air conditioning, keep it cooler indoors with shades and fans. Remember to stay hydrated.

• More information about outdoor activities for children: Air Pollution and School Activities Guide (PDF)
• Recommendations for keeping indoor air clean in schools and buildings with mechanical ventilation: Improving Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality during Wildfire Smoke Events (PDF)

8/15/2018 British Columbia once again dealing with a very bad wildfire year - and we're getting some of the smoke

The B.C. Canada government declared a state of emergency today (Wednesday 8/15/18) due to wildfires. Approximately 566 wildfires are burning in B.C, with 29 evacuation orders affecting approximately 3,050 people. An additional 18,720 people are under evacuation alert. This is the second year in a row our neighbors to the north have been inundated with fire and smoke and some of that smoke has been heading south to Washington and beyond.

The best air quality models that predict smoke movement and accumulation in the Pacific Northwest, don't include fires and smoke from that far north. Other models do include the fires in Canada although their resolution is not as good so predicting air quality impacts in Washington as affected by smoke from Canada is rather challenging. The satellite photo below, taken yesterday (Tuesday) shows the red "hot spots" marking the large areas of fire in B.C. Fires in Washington can also be seen to the south. Note the magnitude of the smoke accumulation just north of the international border. We've already received some smoke from the north, how much more will travel to Washington in the coming days?

Another satellite photo from yesterday got a really clear view of fires and smoke around Washington. Plumes from the Crescent Mountain and McLeod fires are clearly visible north of Lake Chelan in the Methow Valley area, and the Cougar Creek plume is visible to the south of Lake Chelan closer to the center of the state. Large image available at the link: ModisAqua8_14