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Air Monitoring Particulate Data
2006 Forest Fire Air Quality Updates
August 20, 2006
10:00 AM
Current Situation
Smoke is headed into the state from the west again today. Tendrils of smoke from the Tripod fire in Washington are visible reaching into Lincoln and northern Flathead counties on this morning’s satellite photo below. There is much more smoke behind that as can be seen in the lower satellite photo centered over Spokane. There is also a big plume of residual smoke from the Puzzle fire in Oregon headed toward southern Montana today. Local smoke from fire activity in Montana is very limited as most of the Montana fires were not very active yesterday. There is some smoke visible in the Noxon area from a fire that blazed up south of there late last evening. There is no report from the real-time particulate monitors today due to technical problems, but no serious smoke impacts are thought to be present in those locations this morning. Smoke impacts from the plume aloft are likely in some locations today, see the forecast below for details. Residents near a fire 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
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 20, 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 | |
| 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.
Forecast
Transport flow will be light and westerly again today as the ridge continues to dominate the weather patterns over the state. Dispersion should be a little better today as the temperatures rise. This will allow more of the smoke aloft to mix down to the surface this afternoon. Southwest and northwest Montana could see some MODERATE levels of smoke under the plumes aloft as they transit the state later today. The smoke across northern Montana will be from the Tripod fire in Washington and the smoke in southern Montana will be from a group of fires in Idaho that will likely flare again today and residual smoke from yesterday’s fire activity on the Puzzle fire in Oregon. More new starts from holdover lightening strikes could fire up today and they could cause local problems. Residents near active fires should stay aware of their situation and use the visibility guidelines to guide their activity decisions as the situation changes.
John Coefield
Meteorologist
MDEQ
