Air Quality Advisory Issued for the Nez Perce Reservation

 

Continued hazy skies and some surface smoke

Air quality was in the GOOD to MODERATE category yesterday and is forecast to be in the GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS category through the weekend.

Idaho will remain under a broad high pressure ridge until the next low pressure system starts to impact the area on Sunday. Daytime heating and instability will result in isolated afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms over the elevated terrain. Shower and thunderstorm chances will increase on Sunday with the next system. Afternoon winds over much of the state will be light and variable with primarily northerly and easterly components through Saturday before they pick up with the incoming system on Sunday.

Numerous fires in Canada (mostly in the province of Alberta, north of Idaho) continue to create widespread haze over Idaho with smoke reaching the surface across much of the state, including valley locations (the smoke has been traveling down the Snake River Plain from east to west due to northerly winds in the eastern half of the state). Smoke is forecast to remain at the surface until the next system starts to clear it out on Sunday.

RAP-NCEP-Smoke Near Surface Smoke initialized 15Z (9am MDT) 19 May 2023 and valid at 6pm MDT 20 May 2023 shows light smoke impacts at the surface over parts of north Idaho and much of south Idaho.

Wildfire Smoke in May??

Can anyone remind us what month it is? It’s true: Unfortunately, wildfire smoke is impacting Idaho and it’s only May!

Numerous fires in Canada (mostly in the province of Alberta, north of Idaho) are creating widespread haze across Idaho as the smoke remains aloft. The monitors in north Idaho are currently elevated due to PM2.5. Air quality is forecast to be in the GOOD to MODERATE category. Smoke is forecast to reach the surface over parts of north Idaho and also over eastern Idaho overnight due to the surface-level northerly winds.

Air Quality Advisory and Open Burn Ban for Kootenai Reservation

 EPA Issues Air Quality Advisory and Ban on Open Burning for the Kootenai Reservation

(Seattle—Wednesday, May 17, 2023) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10, in coordination with the Kootenai Tribe, has issued an air quality advisory and a ban on open burning on the Kootenai Reservation due to the elevated pollution levels caused by wildland fires in Alberta, Canada. Weather forecasts indicate poor air quality and this burn ban is in effect immediately and will end at noon, Saturday, May 20.

   

The burn ban applies to all outdoor burning - including agricultural, camping and recreational fires - in all areas within external reservation boundaries regardless of ownership or tribal membership. Ceremonial and traditional fires are exempt from the burn ban. 

 

Air pollution can harm health and may have lasting effects. To protect vulnerable people, EPA requests that reservation residents reduce all additional sources of air pollution, such as automobile exhaust, as much as possible.  

 

People who are at greater risk from the effects of smoke such as people with heart disease or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people. Sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor pollution as much as possible. As pollution levels increase, the EPA recommends that residents restrict activity and use N95 masks. 

  

When air quality is expected to remain poor for more than 24 hours, the EPA declares a ban on open burning to prevent further deterioration of air quality and associated impacts on human health. Air quality conditions are influenced by factors such as wind, temperature, and time of day, as well as the location, size, and control strategy for regional wildfires. EPA scientists use weather forecasts, satellite pictures, fire incident reports, and air quality models to forecast air quality for tribal communities and predict when burn bans should be declared.     

  

To check air quality conditions in your area, go to https://fire.airnow.gov/.  For current burn ban status on tribal lands, please call the EPA FARR Hotline at 1-800-424-4372, or visit   

https://www.epa.gov/farr/burn-bans-indian-reservations-id-or-and-wa#current-bans. For burning restrictions in areas outside reservation boundaries, please contact your local clean air agency or fire department.  

        

Last smoke update unless conditions change!

Today, in the wake of the low-pressure system, north Idaho will be under dry northwest flow aloft while south Idaho will be under dry westerly flow. Winds will be from the northwest to southwest at 5-15 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 20 mph over the Arco Desert and Upper Snake River Plain. In the north, winds will be from the southwest to northwest at 5-10 mph in the afternoon.  

Drier conditions are expected for the next few days as a high-pressure ridge builds over the west coast. Saturday will start to warm up, and the warming trend will continue into next week as the ridge remains entrenched over Idaho. On Saturday, winds over north Idaho will be from the southwest to northwest (with some northeast components) at 2-8 mph. Over south Idaho, winds will be from the northwest to southwest at 5-10 mph. On Sunday, winds will be light and variable across the entire state. 

Smoke impacts are dependent on fire growth but generally will continue to be limited to areas immediately downwind of local fires. Any smoke present is expected to settle in adjacent mountain valleys overnight. The Idaho panhandle will see periods of haze from wildfires located over Washington state and southern British Columbia as the upper-level winds remain westerly, but as the ridge starts to build in, the haze is expected to diminish as the plumes shift directions due to variable surface wind speeds. 

HRRR-Smoke Near Surface Smoke initialized at 12Z (06 am MDT) shows hazy conditions across the panhandle and portions of eastern Idaho.