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File photo from EastIdahoNews.com
IDAHO FALLS – Multiple fires in southern Oregon, Nevada and other parts of the state left the air in eastern Idaho smoky and hazy on Sunday.
Mike Huston, a meteorologist with the Pocatello National Weather Service, told EastIdahoNews.com he is anticipating smoke conditions for about a week, based on current data from each of the fires.
“Just looking at the information we have on the fires, I don’t think any of it (has been contained),” Huston said.
Three different fires near Reno and parts of California make up the Beckwourth Complex fire, Huston explains. It spans over 61,000 acres and is only 9% confined.
The Bootleg Fire burns over 143,000 acres near Klamath Falls, Oregon. The firefighters are still working to contain it, from 7 a.m. on Sunday.
“This particular fire is the one that diffuses most of the smoke in our area,” says Huston.
Several areas in Klamath County are subject to evacuation orders or notices of being ready to evacuate, according to CNN.
The other fires are in Idaho and include the Dixie Fire northwest of McCall and north of the Salmon River on the border of the Payette and Nez Perce National Forest, which spans over 14,000 acres. The other fire in this area is the 827-acre Jumbo Fire. No containment is listed for either of these fires.
The Dry Gulch fire near Lewiston is listed on more than 38,000 acres with 5% containment.
“All these fires still give off quite a bit of heat, according to satellite images. This means they are actively burning and they all emit smoke, ”says Huston.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality rates the current air quality in eastern Idaho as “moderate.” The Lewiston area has an “unhealthy” rating, due to the abundance of smoke in the valley.
If you have upper respiratory issues that are sensitive to smoke, Huston recommends limiting your time outdoors.
“If we have a few more days of dirty conditions, we might actually become ‘unhealthy’ for sensitive (groups). We really have no way of predicting that. I’m just giving you a general trend, ”says Huston. “Fortunately, most of the smoke we have is not absorbed from below. Most of it is at altitude, so that helps us to a certain extent. “
The Idaho DEQ is expected to issue an advisory with recommendations Monday morning, according to Huston.
On a positive note, Huston says the increase in smoke in the area has caused temperatures to drop slightly.
RELATED | A new heat wave returns to eastern Idaho this week
After a heatwave in eastern Idaho in recent weeks, Huston said temperatures would likely remain “unusually warm for the season” over the next week. But some relief may be on the way.
“There are disturbances off the Pacific and they’re mostly progressing east along the Canadian border, so what will happen will be several days when we get some relief from the heat. With these passage systems, they are not going to provide us with precipitation. It will probably give us a bit of wind in some places, ”he says.
And the wind always causes problems for firefighters trying to control forest fires.
If you have planned outdoor activities or are sensitive to smoke, Huston asks you to stay informed of air quality conditions over the next week through the DEQ website.
“If you are in that category where you have a pre-existing condition, you might just want to stay indoors and limit your exposure to the outdoors. Stay in a place that is air conditioned. It will also help, ”he says.
For a detailed forecast and the latest conditions in your area, visit the EastIdahoNews.com weather page.
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