Montana DEQ Forest Fire Smoke Advisory
September 4, 2005
10:00 AM
Current Situation
Smoke levels in all of the reporting communities have improved overnight again this morning as strong inversions have kept the smoke aloft away from the surface. In areas near the active fires where the inversions have kept the smoke trapped, such as the southern Bitterroot valley around Darby, the Plains/Perma/Hot Springs area, and the Phillipsburg area, conditions are expected to be UNHEALTHY or worse. The fires in Montana and Idaho were very active yesterday afternoon and evening and there is a large plume of smoke from those fires stretching across the middle of the state today. Smoke levels in the communities that are the hardest hit this morning will improve somewhat later today, but smoke levels will be increasing across the western and central area of the state this afternoon as the smoke mixes back down to the surface. See the forecast below for information about what to expect later today and tomorrow.
Today's analysis from NOAA's satellite services division shows the active fires in the Northwest US and Canada and the smoke plumes spreading out downwind and layering on top of each other.
Gray indicates smoke plume.
Red indicates hot spot detected.
Fire size is exaggerated for visibility at this scale
To identify individual fires on graphic above go to the USDA - Remote Sensing Applications Center
Real time particulate information is currently available in most of the larger urban areas from several different sources including: DEQ run PM-10 TEOMS and BAMS and PM2.5 BAMS, NWS ASOS visibility monitors, and USFS remote access Nephelometers and BAMS .
This morning's smoke report is below, comparing particulate levels where we have information to MDEQ's Forest Fire health advisory levels.
Updated 10:00 AM September 4, 2005
Locations and severity of forest fire smoke reports since midnight of the date above at reporting stations.
| Smoke Conditions | City |
|---|---|
| Hazardous | |
| Very Unhealthy | |
| Unhealthy | Plains/Perma/Hot
Springs area (est.) Darby/Philipsburg (est) |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | |
| Moderate | |
| Good | |
|
T1(x) |
One-hour TEOM value (number of values) |
| T8(x) | Eight-hour average TEOM value(number of values) |
| T24 | 24 hour average TEOM value |
| Vis(x) | Visibility value(number of hours) |
| Vis(am/pm) | Visibility value from twice/day reporting stations |
Local impacts in areas immediately adjacent to active fires are expected to exceed some or all of the advisory levels. DEQ recommends the use of local visibility guidelines to evaluate possible health risks and make informed activity decisions. Link to Smoke Categories.
Forecast
Red Flag conditions are forecast this afternoon for gusty southwest winds and low humidity in the fire areas. This will put a lot of smoke up into the air today and smoke conditions in the areas under the plumes and near the fires will be of concern again today. Polson, Missoula, Hamilton, Great Falls, Helena, Butte, and Dillon and the areas around those communities will be impacted the most severely and MODERATE and UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE conditions or worse are expected. There will be some improvement this afternoon in the active fire areas as the inversions break and dispersion improves, but those areas are still expected to be at UNHEALTHY conditions for most of the day. Some clearing is possible tomorrow as a weak frontal system approaches, but it is not looking very strong at this time and the improvement if any will be only temporary. Residents in all areas should use the visibility guidelines as the situation changes.
John Coefield
Meteorologist
MDEQ
