Possibly increased smoke production this weekend in Central Idaho

With the local fires and the smoke moving into the region from Oregon and California, light to patchy smoke will linger over North and Central Idaho with limited clearing this afternoon before smoke returns overnight. As conditions dry out this weekend, look for smoke production to increase again in Central Idaho.

The westerly winds will continue to nudge light smoke and haze into South Idaho from the central Oregon and northern California fires. As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke and haze can become trapped under surface temperature inversions and raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later in the morning. 

The highest AQI levels will be seen in the Central Mountains and the Clearwater Basin. Those areas could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:21 UTC (9:21 a.m. MDT) on 29 August 2025 shows light to patchy smoke and haze across Idaho with a few clouds over the Snake River Plain and the Central Mountains. Fog is present in low-lying areas of the Clearwater Basin. Thick smoke is seen emanating from the Emigrant Fire in west central Oregon that is drifting eastward towards the Treasure Valley. Most of this smoke is aloft and not near the surface.