2006 Forest Fire Air Quality Updates
September 3, 2006
10:00 AM
Current Situation
Smoke is again trapped under a strong inversion and laying in the northern Paradise Valley and down the Yellowstone towards Columbus this morning. Easterly winds have pushed smoke over the mountains and into Bozeman this morning where conditions are currently at UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS at this time. MODERATE smoke levels are being measured at Missoula, Hamilton, Butte, Livingston and West Yellowstone. There is a slight westerly flow over Idaho that is pushing a big plume of smoke in the panhandle into western Montana. Easterly winds across much of Montana are keeping all of the smoke from yesterday’s fire activity overhead. Strong inversions are keeping a lot of the residual smoke off the surface right now but that will change by this afternoon as the mixing height reaches the smoke layer and smoke mixes down to the surface. See the forecast below for more information. Local smoke impacts could be severe today, especially in the area around Big Timber and the Paradise Valley where smoke levels are expected to be UNHEALTHY or worse in some locations right now. Residents in the smoky areas 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
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 September 3, 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 | Derby Fire area (est) Mill Creek area (est) |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Bozeman Vis(8) |
| Moderate | Missoula T8 Hamilton T8 Butte T8 West Yellowstone T8 Livingston Vis(1) |
| 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
Strong inversions will trap smoke in valley areas this morning and some areas may not mix out totally today at all. The smoke from fires in Montana and Idaho is all converging on the western half of the state today and hazy sky will be persistent in those areas. Later today, the smoke trapped in layers aloft will mix down to the surface and local smoke impact could be temporarily intense in areas well removed from the active fires. Smoke levels near the active fire will improve through the day as the mixing height rises and the smoke has a chance to move off. Smoke impacts downwind of the active fires could be severe today, residents in those areas are cautioned to pay attention to local conditions and use the visibility guidelines to guide their activity decisions as the situation changes.
John Coefield
Meteorologist
MDEQ
