Smoke Ready Week 2026 - Optimize Your Air

 

Keeping your indoor air clean is one of the best ways to stay safe during wildfire smoke events. You can create a clean room in your home with a few simple steps:  

 

➡️ Close windows and doors  

➡️ Run an air purifier with a HEPA filter or make a DIY clean air fan  

➡️ Avoid burning candles, incense, or scented products  

➡️ Skip cooking methods that create smoke or strong smells.  

 

When you need to shelter indoors, these strategies can make your home more comfortable for both people and pets. Your heart and lungs will thank you! 

Smoke Ready Week 2026 - Minimize Exposure

The best time to prepare for wildfire smoke is before the wildfire season begins. the second best time is now. Be ready to take these actions to protect yourself and reduce your smoke exposure:  

  

✅ Monitor wildfire activity and air quality in your area on the Fire and Smoke Map

✅ Use air purifiers, a HEPA filter in your HVAC system, or create a DIY clean air fan (below)

✅ Limit physical activity outdoors when air quality is poor 

✅ Talk to your doctor about whether N95 masks are right for you 

✅ Identify a “clean air room” to reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke while indoors  

  

 

Smoke Ready Week 2026 - Stay Informed!

There have already been several wildfires in Idaho this year! Be smoke ready and stay informed to protect your health this summer.
 
Fine particle pollution is a major part of wildfire smoke and a threat to public health. It can travel deep into the lungs and may even enter the bloodstream.  
 
Particle pollution doesn’t just affect outdoor air quality, wildfire smoke particles can enter homes and buildings, potentially impacting indoor air quality. 
 
Keeping track of wildfire activity, current air quality, and smoke forecasts will help you make good decisions for your health during wildfire smoke events 👍 

➡️ Keep tabs on wildfire activity and air quality on the Fire and Smoke Map
➡️ Download the AIR Idaho app to check current air quality and see air quality forecasts 

 

Good air quality continues - last post for the season hopefully!

This will be our last blog post for the season (fingers and toes crossed). Air quality has remained in the GOOD to MODERATE range across the state and is forecast to stay that way for the forseeable future.

Over North Idaho, light smoke and haze will linger through the day with limited clearing this afternoon before more light to patchy smoke and haze moves in from Washington and remains overnight. Central Idaho will see limited clearing of the light smoke and haze this afternoon before more light smoke and haze drifts in from Washington this evening and lingers overnight. Light smoke and haze in South Idaho will see limited clearing this afternoon as well with light smoke and haze remaining overnight. Winds will shift more southerly and easterly tomorrow afternoon, helping to clear out regional haze and smoke across Idaho. With winds expected to increase across the region on Thursday and Friday, smoke production could ramp up for fires in Idaho’s Central Mountains and in central Washington. As temperatures decrease tonight, lingering smoke and haze across Idaho will become trapped under surface temperature inversions and settle in valleys and low-lying areas which will raise local AQI levels until the inversions break later in the morning. The highest AQI levels will be seen around those fires localized to the Central Mountains and North Idaho. Those areas could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS.

NOAA GOES-West GeoColor (true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:16 UTC (9:16 a.m. MDT) on 22 September 2025 shows isolated clouds across the elevated terrain of Idaho with valley fog in the Panhandle. Smoke and haze is visible over central Washington drifting southeast with smoke and haze over the Clearwater Basin.

Have a happy, relatively smoke free weekend

More of the same today. GOOD to MODERATE air quality with some possible UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS areas near fires in central and north Idaho.

Limited clearing of smoke expected in the afternoon before smoke and haze moves back in overnight. Smoke and haze lingering when temperatures decrease tonight will become trapped under surface inversions and settle in valleys and low-lying areas until the inversions break the next morning.

HRRR-NCEP Near Surface Smoke initialized 11Z (5 a.m. MDT) 19 September 2025 and valid at 6 p.m. MDT 19 September 2025 shows light smoke and haze across Idaho moving in from Washington, Montana, and British Columbia. Smoke production from the wildfires in the Central Mountains and North Idaho has been dampened by recent weather, but those fires are still generating light smoke and haze. Models have been picking up on crop residue burning in Central and North Idaho.