Unfortunately, smoke will remain widespread across the state today.
Moderate to moderately severe smoke will persist across North Idaho and the Snake River Plain today. Overnight, smoke and haze will settle into valleys and other low-lying areas under temperature inversions. As temperatures begin to increase tomorrow morning and inversions break, we will experience increased circulation.
EPA Announces an Air Quality Advisory and Ban on
Open Burning for the Kootenai Reservation
Contact Information: EPA Region 10 Press Office
(r10_press_team@epa.gov
)
Seattle (July 31, 2026) — U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and Kootenai Tribe of Idaho issued an air quality advisory
and ban on open burning on the Kootenai Reservation due to increases wildfire
smoke from multiple fires in Washington. This advisory and burn ban is effective
immediately and will continue until further notice.
Smoke from these fires will impact the reservation today and
through the weekend and as a result, intermittent periods of Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups and Unhealthy air quality are expected,
based on EPA's Air Quality Index.
These same conditions may continue into next week. EPA is using agency’s
resources to monitor air quality and provide the public with timely access to
our data. People should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor
pollution as much as possible. For more health information, visit Wildfire Smoke Readiness and Response for Region 10
Tribes. The agency will do everything in our authority to continue
to protect human health and the environment.
To
check conditions in your area, visit the EPA AirNow website. For a list of
current burn bans on Tribal lands, call the EPA Federal Air Rules for
Reservations Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit EPA’s FARR website.
Near-surface smoke will remain widespread across the state through Friday as ongoing wildfire activity across the Pacific Northwest continues to generate and transport smoke eastward. Moderate to moderately severe smoke will persist across North Idaho and the Snake River Plain today. Overnight, lingering smoke and haze will become trapped beneath inversions, allowing smoke to settle into valleys and other low-lying areas. As temperatures begin to increase Tuesday morning, inversions will begin to break and allow for better circulation across the state.
Air Quality Advisories are in effect for western portion of the state, as well as several southeastern counties. Check the Outdoor Burn Map to see if your county is affected.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:26 UTC (9:26 a.m. MDT) on 3
August 2026 shows widespread areas
of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.
Smoke will remain widespread across Idaho through Friday, with the heaviest concentrations in southwest Idaho, including the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, and West Central Mountains. Moderate smoke will continue across Central Idaho, while North and East Idaho gradually improve.
Friday night into Saturday, smoke will settle into valleys and low areas as temperature inversions strengthen, causing air quality to worsen. A cold front and stronger afternoon mixing should improve conditions Saturday afternoon. However, increasing winds Saturday evening may bring heavier smoke into southwest Idaho from Oregon and the Panhandle from Central Washington.
Smoke will linger across southwest Idaho through Monday, with limited improvement. The Treasure Valley and nearby valleys may see moderate smoke at times, while Central and East Idaho will see periods of light to moderate smoke. Additional smoke from British Columbia may reach the Panhandle Monday.
The highest AQI levels are expected in the Treasure Valley, where periods of UNHEALTHY air are possible, especially overnight and in the morning. Parts of the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could briefly reach UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:21 UTC (9:21 a.m. MDT) on 31
July 2026 shows widespread areas
of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.
Last night, thick smoke blanketed most of Idaho, with the highest near-surface concentrations across southwestern Idaho. Near-surface smoke will remain widespread through Friday. The heaviest concentrations are expected across southwest Idaho, including the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, and portions of the West Central Mountains. Moderate smoke will persist across Central Idaho and North Idaho today, with improving conditions expected across much of eastern Idaho.
Overnight, air quality will deteriorate in valleys and low-lying areas as smoke becomes trapped beneath surface temperature inversions. The highest AQI levels are expected across portions of the Treasure Valley, where periods of VERY UNHEALTHY air quality are possible. Elsewhere, the western portion of the Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.
Friday, central and eastern Idaho will gradually experience cleaner air, while southwest Idaho will remain under persistent moderate to heavy smoke.
Overnight, thick smoke continued to spread across Idaho, with the highest concentrations across South Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Thursday morning with the thickest smoke expected across the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, Central Mountains, and Central Idaho, with moderate to heavy smoke extending into the Snake River Plain and parts of North Idaho.
Some improvement is expected Wednesday afternoon in the Panhandle, East Idaho, and parts of the Snake River Plain, as daytime mixing helps disperse smoke.
Overnight, smoke will settle into valleys and low-lying areas as temperature inversions strengthen, causing air quality to worsen before improving again Thursday afternoon.
The Treasure Valley could see periods of VERY UNHEALTHY air quality today, while the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains may experience brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 29
July 2026 shows clouds moving
in western Washington and Oregon with clouds over South Idaho. Widespread areas
of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.
Overnight, thick smoke continued to spread across Idaho, with the highest concentrations across South Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Wednesday morning as wildfires in the Pacific Northwest continue to produce large amounts of smoke. The heaviest smoke is expected across the Treasure Valley, Owyhee Mountains, West Central Mountains, and Central Idaho, with moderate to heavy smoke extending into the Snake River Plain and parts of North Idaho.
Some improvement is expected this afternoon as daytime mixing helps clear the air, mainly across the Panhandle and East Idaho. Overnight, smoke will settle into valleys and low-lying areas, causing air quality to worsen before conditions improve again Wednesday afternoon.
The highest AQI is expected in parts of the Treasure Valley, where VERY UNHEALTHY air quality is possible. Parts of the western Snake River Plain and West Central Mountains could also see brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:46 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 28
July 2026 shows clouds moving
in western Washington and Oregon. Widespread areas of smoke are visible over Washington,
Central Oregon, and most of Idaho.
Thick smoke spread across Idaho overnight, with the highest near-surface concentrations across South and Central Idaho. Smoke will remain widespread through Tuesday, with the heaviest concentrations expected across the Treasure Valley and Owyhee Mountains. Smoke will continue to spread across the Snake River Plain and Central Mountains, while moderate to heavy smoke persists across parts of North Idaho. Some improvement is expected across the Panhandle today as afternoon winds help disperse smoke. In East Idaho, easterly overnight winds should improve conditions before patchy smoke returns late Tuesday morning.
Tonight, cooler temperatures will trap lingering smoke in valleys and other low-lying areas, causing local AQI levels to increase until inversions break Tuesday morning. The highest AQI is expected across portions of the Treasure Valley, where VERY UNHEALTHY air quality is possible. Elsewhere, parts of the Snake River Plain and Clearwater Basin could see brief periods of UNHEALTHY air quality.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 15:41 UTC (9:41 a.m. MDT) on 27
July 2026 shows clouds moving
through East Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon,
and most of Idaho.
Today, air quality is mostly forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range.
Overnight, patchy smoke moved into the Clearwater Basin, Treasure Valley, and Panhandle. Light smoke remains across much of Idaho. Afternoon winds will help mix the air, but cooler temperatures tonight will trap smoke in valleys and low-lying areas until late morning. Air quality will be worst in parts of the Treasure Valley, Panhandle, and Clearwater Basin, where brief UNHEALTHY conditions are possible.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 8:31 a.m. MDT on July 24, 2026 shows clouds moving
through north Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central
Oregon, and portions of Idaho.
Today, air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range. Overnight, the Treasure Valley could experience periods of UNHEALTHY.
Light to patchy smoke and haze will travel across Idaho today, sparing the most eastern portion of the state for the most part. Limited clearing is expected this afternoon before smoke and haze settles back overnight. Wind on Friday will help further clear smoke and haze across the state.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 8:31 a.m. MDT on July 23, 2026 shows clouds moving
through north Idaho. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central
Oregon, and portions of Idaho.
Air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range across the state, though portions of the Treasure Valley may experience periods of UNHEALTHY overnight.
There are not many changes from yesterday's forecast. Oregon's fires are the main smoke contributors affecting South and Central Idaho while fires in Washington and British Columbia are impacting North and Central Idaho. Afternoon winds will help clear some of the smoke across the state but lingering smoke at nightfall will be trapped by inversions in valleys and low-lying areas. This trapped smoke will raise air quality index values overnight.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 9:46 a.m. MDT on July 22, 2026 shows clouds through
the region. Areas of smoke are visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and
portions of Idaho.
Air quality today is forecast to range mostly from Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The Treasure Valley may experience brief periods of Unhealthy.
Expect limited clearing of smoke everywhere in the afternoon with increased mixing heights and wind speeds. Come night, however, any lingering smoke and haze will become trapped under surface temperature inversions and settle in valleys and low-lying areas, worsening air quality until those inversions break tomorrow morning.
An Air Quality Advisory is still in place for Ada, Canyon, Gem, Payette, and Washington Counties.
NOAA GOES-West GeoColor
(true color) visible satellite image captured at 9:36 a.m. MDT on July 21, 2026 shows clouds
passing over and areas of smoke visible over Washington, Central Oregon, and
portions of Idaho.
Air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS range today, with the worst air quality occurring overnight in the valleys of North and Central Idaho and the Treasure Valley, where it could reach UNHEALTHY.
Patchy smoke and haze will linger for North and Central Idaho today with limited clearing expected from afternoon winds and mixing. Patchy smoke and haze will also linger over the Treasure Valley with limited clearing expected from afternoon winds and mixing. As southerly winds build today, the patchy smoke and haze over the Magic Valley will clear. Light to patchy smoke and haze will drift south from the East Central Mountains and Montana into East Idaho later this evening. 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.
Air Quality Advisories are in place for all counties in central and north Idaho, as well as some southwest counties. Click here to see the most recent advisories in place.
Never leave campfires or debris burns unattended.
Avoid burning during windy conditions. Wind can cause embers to spread quickly, igniting dry vegetation.
Ensure campfires and hot coals are completely extinguished by drowning, stirring, and feeling for heat.
Use spark arresters on equipment. Chainsaws, ATVs, and other machinery can produce sparks that ignite dry grass and brush.
Don’t drive or park on dry grass. The undercarriage of your car is hot and can catch vegetation on fire.
Don’t let tow chains drag. Dragging chains can cause sparks.
Obey all local fire restrictions. Check before starting any outdoor activities that involve fire.
Find more wildfire prevention tips here!
Speak with your doctor before wildfire season and prepare a plan to keep yourself safe:
➡️ Refill essential medications
➡️ Gather any specialized equipment you might need
➡️ Talk to your doctor about whether N95 masks are right for you
➡️ Have an evacuation plan that includes a cleaner air space
➡️ Find ways to protect your mental health during long smoke events
