Wildfire smoke sneaks across the border into NCW
Information compiled, featured photo credit: Pierre Markuse
Community members may have noticed a smokey haze moving into the Lake Chelan Valley today. According to the USFS, there is residual smoke drifting south from a significant wildfire in Alberta, Canada. Fortunately, air conditions in Eastern and North Central Washington are not expected to be severe even with high temperatures expected through the weekend.
The pair of satellite images below are courtesy of wasmokeblogspot.com from yesterday and this morning which show smoke from northern Alberta fires flowing down the Okanogan and Columbia River valleys into eastern WA.
Models suggest some Alberta smoke will slosh around this weekend, initially receding from the Cascade foothills and Columbia Basin, being confined to the far eastern part of the state (including Spokane) before rebounding Sunday & Monday. Again, not expecting a lot of smoke. But the cat among the pigeons is the risk of lightning in the Cascades and NE Washington and the new fires this might spark off between now and Saturday evening. Spotty downpours are expected but their pollution- cleansing and fire- dousing potential may not be harnessed entirely if they’re not in the right place at the right time.
Fire officials indicate this may be an early warning of another severe fire season and encourage community members to be on alert for actions that could spark a wildfire. According to the DNR, 85% of wildfires are human caused.
