Smoke from multiple active wildfires burning in Eastern Washington, Oregon, and across the broader West has degraded air quality for communities throughout the Pacific Northwest, with conditions expected to worsen as fire activity ramps up heading into the July 4th holiday period.

Current Air Quality Conditions

Smoke from the Kartar Fire near Omak, the Tule Road Fire in Yakima County, and the newly ignited Lyle Hill Fire in Klickitat County has generated localized air quality impacts across Eastern Washington. The Columbia Basin and Okanogan Valley have seen the worst smoke concentrations, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels periodically reaching "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" or worse categories on the AQI scale.

Wildfire smoke from large fires in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona — most notably the 94,000-acre Cottonwood Fire — has also been drifting into the Pacific Northwest at altitude, contributing to hazy skies and elevated background particulate levels across a broader region including western Oregon and Washington.

Health Guidance for Affected Areas

The Washington State Department of Ecology and county clean air agencies are urging residents in smoke-impacted areas to take the following precautions:

  • Check AirNow.gov for real-time air quality index (AQI) values for your location
  • Limit time outdoors when AQI is above 100 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups)
  • Sensitive populations — including children, elderly, and those with heart or lung conditions — should remain indoors with windows closed when smoke is heavy
  • Use air purifiers with HEPA filters indoors if available
  • If driving through heavy smoke, recirculate air in your vehicle rather than drawing in outside air
  • N95 masks can offer protection if going outside is unavoidable; cloth masks do not filter fine smoke particles

Burn Bans and Open Burning Restrictions

To reduce human-caused ignitions and prevent additional smoke during already poor air quality conditions, numerous burn bans are now in effect:

  • Washington DNR: Burn ban on all DNR-managed forest lands statewide — campfires, charcoal, outdoor burning, and prescribed burns are all prohibited
  • Pierce, Douglas, Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish Counties: Stage 1 burn bans in effect, suspending all residential open burning and land clearing
  • Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests: Planned prescribed burns halted due to fire weather conditions

Forecasted Smoke Impacts

AccuWeather and NOAA forecasters warn that smoke from Western wildfires could become a significant factor across a broad area — from the Rockies downwind to the Plains and potentially the Midwest — as fire activity intensifies and a heat dome settles over the interior West heading into mid-July. Residents should anticipate episodic, potentially heavy smoke events throughout the remainder of the summer.

For real-time air quality information, visit AirNow.gov, the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency at spokanecleanair.org, or the Washington State Department of Ecology at ecology.wa.gov.