Air Quality Summary Report - Pioneer Fire             For: Tuesday, August 30, 2016 

ARA: Mark Fitch (mark_fitch@nps.gov)                                ARA (T): Eric Dobbs (eric.dobbs@freshfromflorida.com)

FIRE, WEATHER AND SMOKE SYNOPSIS Weather:  Temps: 80 – 85 high elevation to mid-to-upper 90’s in the valleys. RH: 11 -15% higher elevations and 9-14% lower valleys. Winds: Up-canyon 8 – 12 mph gusts to 20 after 1:00pm.  Ridges: Southerly 16-21 mph gusts to 27.  Strongest winds in south-to-north oriented valleys.  Inversion will break between noon and 1pm.   As a low approaches from the northwest, transport wind speeds will increase this afternoon.  Expect south-southwesterly to southerly transport winds 25 – 30 mph throughout the day today. Fire Activity:  Extreme fire behavior expected today north of highway 17 in the Clear Creek and Deadwood drainages and Deadwood Ridge where winds and slope align. Dry, windy conditions have prompted a Red Flag Warning for the area for today.  Grass and shrub fuels will be active for uphill runs in valley locations.  Wind/slope alignment will result in moderate to high spread rates.  With warmer and drier conditions, unburned pockets of vegetation within the Pioneer perimeter will continue to become more active.  Fire will be more active around the Clear Creek drainage and Deadwood Creek drainage areas.  Active fire behavior is expected through tomorrow. Smoke Summary:  Smoke will concentrate in the low valleys this morning but will scour out in the mid-afternoon when S to SSW winds align with valleys.  Smoke remains in the valleys until 2:00pm – 4:00pm due to smoke mixing down below the inversion layer near the surface in the late morning hours.  Today, the most significant smoke impacts will be to Lowman, Stanley, Ketchum, and Garden Valley.  Elevated smoke plume may be in Salmon, ID due to strengthening S to SSW flow and increased fire activity.
Air Quality Outlook  (smoke related)
Sites with air quality monitors (based on concentration PM 2.5 µg/m3 24-hr avg.)
Site	Yesterday		Today		Tomorrow		Comments for Today (8/30/16)
Fairfield	Good		Good		Good		Mostly clear throughout the day.  Possible haze in the mid to late morning.  Clearing after inversion lift.
Garden City	Good		Good		Good		Mostly clear throughout the day.   Possible haze in the mid to late morning.  Clearing after inversion lift.
Garden Valley  School & ICP/Helibase	Moderate		USG		Moderate		Smoke in late morning and early afternoon before clearing in mid-afternoon hours.
Idaho City	Good		Moderate		Moderate		Morning and early afternoon smoke impacts.
Ketchum	USG		USG		Moderate		Hazy throughout the day until the mid-afternoon hours.
Meridian	Good		Good		Good		Mostly clear throughout the day.   Possible haze in the mid to late morning.  Clearing after inversion lift.
Nampa	Good		Good		Good		Mostly clear throughout the day.   Possible haze in the mid to late morning.  Clearing after inversion lift.
Lowman	Moderate		USG		Moderate		Expect periods of high-level smoke impacts clearing by mid-afternoon.
Stanley	USG		USG		Moderate		Smoke impacts will persist throughout the day before becoming hazy in the mid-afternoon.
Sites without a monitor
Site		Today		Tomorrow		Comments for Today
Lucky Peak Rec. Area		Good		Good		Conditions improving, but smoke haze will be visible
Centerville		USG		Moderate		Morning and early afternoon smoke impacts.
Disclaimer: Conditions may change quickly. These predictions are based on anticipated weather and fire activity.

USG – Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Other Websites with Smoke Related Information

For areas without a monitor use the Visibility method to help protect your health from Smoke: https://nmtracking.org

Information about Wildfire Smoke and Your Health: http://www.cdc.gov/features/wildfires/

                                        

Idaho Smoke Blog: https://idsmoke.blogspot.com