Fire & Smoke Home
Air Monitoring Particulate Data
2006 Forest Fire Air Quality Updates
August 14, 2006
10:00 AM
Current Situation
The smoke from the fires in Washington and Idaho that was hovering over the border yesterday has move partway across the state today. This residual smoke is aloft and is not causing any problems at the surface right now. Later this morning or early afternoon the smoke will mix down and could produce MODERATE levels of smoke. See the forecast below for details. There is a lot of local smoke from the Gash Creek fire in the northern Bitterroot valley this morning. Conditions adjacent to the fire are expected to be UNHEALTHY. Smoke levels in the Florence and Lolo area are expected to be UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. The smoke is still draining down slope (north) and could reach the southern part of Missoula this morning before it lifts out of the valley. The rest of the state looks OK. Local impacts from the smaller fires in the state are still likely, residents near those fires should pay attention to current conditions and use the VISIBILITY GUIDELINES to determine smoke levels in their area and guide their activity decisions.
Morning satellite photo centered on Great Falls
Morning satellite photo centered on Spokane
Webcams
Red Eagle MT from St. Mary Visitor Center
The Big Mountain Ski area webcam near Whitefish
The DEQ webcam looking north to the "Sleeping Giant" mountain
This morning’s analysis from NOAA’s satellite services division shows the active fires in Montana and the smoke plumes combining and spreading downwind (the analyzed smoke is based on yesterday’s satellite coverage, the fire detects are based on last nights satellite coverage).
Red indicates hot spot detected. Grey represents smoke seen by satellite. Fire
size is exaggerated for visibility at this scale. To identify individual fires on graphic above go
here: http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/lg_fire2.php
Real time particulate information is currently available in most of the larger urban areas from several different sources including: DEQ run PM-10 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. Smoke Categories
Updated 10:00 AM August 14, 2006
Locations and severity of forest fire smoke reports since midnight of the date above at reporting stations.
| Smoke Conditions | City |
|---|---|
| Hazardous | |
| Very Unhealthy | |
| Unhealthy | Gash Creek (est) |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Florence (est) Lolo (est) |
| 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.
Forecast
The smoke over the state is moving almost due east this morning. This will keep the big plume from the Tripod fire in Washington up along the Canadian border today. Eureka will likely be seeing MODERATE levels of smoke when the plume mixes down. The smoke from the Idaho fires will continue to come across the border and will be producing hazy skies and some MODERATE ground level concentration on the surface in those areas as the smoke mixes down later today. The smoke in the Bitterroot will continue to move towards Missoula and is already encroaching on the southern suburbs this morning. The valley should mix out by mid-afternoon and conditions will improve then for that area. Local impacts near active fires will also need attention. Residents should stay aware of their situation and use the visibility guidelines to guide their activity decisions as the situation changes.
John Coefield
Meteorologist
MDEQ
