Updated Noon MDT Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Valid through noon MDT Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Smoke Outlook
Idaho DEQ has issued a Stage 1 Forecast and
Caution the following counties
·
Camas
and Blaine – The Stage 1 is effective through Friday, August 23, at which time
it will be re-evaluated and either extended or lifted.
·
Elmore
– Stage 1 has been lifted. DEQ is still
issuing a daily air quality forecast for Mountain Home.
·
Lemhi
– Stage 1 is effective through tomorrow at 10 am, at which time it will be
re-evaluated and either extended or lifted.
The Ketchum/Hailey area is continuing to
experiencing Hazardous air quality in the morning due to smoke from the Beaver
Creek fire. Significant smoke impacts
are expected to continue in the Ketchum/Hailey area through tomorrow
morning. Other areas in the central
Idaho Mountains are experiencing air quality in the moderate to unhealthy for
sensitive groups. The Ketchum monitor is no longer operational. DEQ has installed an emergency monitor in Ketchum. See below for information on accessing the
data. Air
quality is forecasted to be in the Unhealthy with periods in the Hazardous for
Ketchum/Hailey and moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups for other areas
in the central Idaho mountains. Salmon
is forecasted to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups today.
Air quality has improved to the upper Good to
lower Moderate categories in the southeast Boise/Mountain Home area. Any smoke in the area this morning is
expected to dissipate this afternoon.
However, some smoke is expected to move back into the Mountain Home area
during the night. DEQ is now issuing
an air quality forecast for Mountain Home on its website. Visit www.deq.idaho.gov/daily-air-quality-reports-forecasts. (Select
Mountain Home from the dropdown menu.) Air quality is forecasted to be in
the Moderate for Boise and Mountain Home.
Sensitive groups such as people with heart
and/or lung disease, adults over age 65, young children, and pregnant women
should avoid all outdoor activities until air quality improves. Everyone else
should minimize outdoor activities. When air quality is in the
hazardous category (visibility of less than 1 mile) everyone should stay
indoors and avoid exertion.
West winds will continue to transport smoke towards the east today
and tomorrow morning. Eastern and
southeast Idaho can expect light to moderate smoke impacts today and tomorrow
morning. Areas closer to the fires can
expect heavy smoke impacts during the morning hours. The Twin Falls area can expect to see light
to moderate smoke impacts tomorrow morning due to smoke from the Beaver Creek
Complex draining into the Snake River Valley.
This smoke should dissipate in the afternoon. Smoke from fires near Lewiston and Kamiah in
north central Idaho is expected to be transported to the east; however, tonight
the smoke should drain down valley and settle in the lower valleys.
7 emergency monitors have been installed in Idaho to help monitor
smoke impacts from wildfires:
·
DEQ has installed monitors in
Mountain Home, Fairfield, Ketchum, and east Boise. The information can be found
at http://app.airsis.com/USFS/fleet.aspx
o
Fairfield – #Idaho1000
o
Mountain Home - #Idaho1002
o
Ketchum - #Idaho1005
o
Boise - #Idaho1003
·
The USFS installed monitors in
Lowman, Atlanta, and Challis. The information can be found at http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/smoke.pl
o
Lowman monitor is Smoke#19
o
Atlanta monitor is Smoke#13
o
Challis monitor is Smoke#21
o
Users should be aware that the Forest Service
site reports the data in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). To convert
from UTS to Mountain Daylight Time, subtract 6 hours.
Smoke forecasts are dependent
on predicted fire growth and weather. If
conditions change unexpectedly, impacts could occur. When visibility starts to go below 5 miles,
sensitive groups should minimize outdoor activities. Everyone else should minimize prolonged or
physical activity outdoors. Refer to the
Smoke and Health Tab on the Idaho Smoke Information
Blog for additional health
information.
Your eyes are your best tools to determine if it’s
safe to be outside. Even if you smell smoke, the air quality may
still be good.
|
AQI
Category
|
Visibility
(miles)
|
|
Good
|
11+
|
|
Moderate
|
6-10
|
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive
Groups
|
3-5
|
|
Unhealthy
|
1½ -2¾
|
|
Very Unhealthy
|
1-1¼
|
|
Hazardous
|
Less than 1
|
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