Fires in Central Mountains impacting Idaho

Today’s air quality index is forecast to be in the Good to Unhealthy range, though areas near local and regional fires could experience brief periods of Very Unhealthy.

Currently, smoke and haze are seen across portions of the Central Mountains and North and South Idaho. This afternoon, southwesterly winds will nudge areas of smoke from the West Central Mountains into the East Central Mountains, the Bitterroot Mountains, and North Idaho. Smoke and haze will linger over the Panhandle overnight. After some limited dispersion across portions of South and North Idaho this afternoon, patchy smoke and haze will drift into South Idaho later this evening. Smoke and haze will remain in portions of the Central Mountains from local fires. As temperatures decrease over night, lingering smoke can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later the following morning, offering limited clearing. Light smoke and haze will drift into South and North Idaho tomorrow morning before afternoon winds provide further limited dispersion.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 9:21 a.m. MDT on August 19, 2024 shows light smoke and haze visible over North Idaho with thick smoke seen over over the Central Mountains. Thickest smoke is seen over the West Central Mountains.