Air quality reaches unhealthy levels in Eastern Washington as wind pushes smoke across region

A blanket of smoke hovered over the Spokane area, reducing air quality in Airway Heights to the “unhealthy” range on Thursday morning as temperatures hovered in the 50s.

Air quality in Airway Heights reached the unhealthy range just after 4 a.m. and reached 161 at 5 a.m., as measured by an air quality monitor in the city, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Air quality is considered unhealthy for all people when it reaches 150.

Air quality throughout most of the Spokane area, however, remained in the moderate range, below 100, as of 7 a.m.

Although there aren’t any major fires around Spokane, winds from the north have pushed smoke from fires in the surrounding area into the metro area, National Weather Service meteorologist Robin Fox said.

From the northeast, smoke is coming from the Kootenai River complex in Bonner County, which reached 15,640 acres. That fire remained uncontained.

Smoke is also moving in from a few fires in northeast Washington. The Boulder Mountain fire in the Colville National Forest had reached 1,328 acres and was 6% contained on Thursday. The Thor fire in northeast Washington had reached 1,189 acres and remained uncontained. The Diamond Watch fire near Priest Lake reached 957 acres on Thursday and was 49% contained.

From the northwest, smoke was coming from the Seven Bays fire in Adams County, which had burned 1,175 acres by Thursday morning. That fire was 25% contained.

Multiple fires in the Cascades were also contributing to the air quality as winds funneled smoke through the Columbia River Valley, Fox said.

Winds may push some smoke out of the area, but it’s likely to return as the wind patterns change over the next couple of days, National Weather Service meteorologist Jeremy Wolf said.

The air quality in Ritzville also reached unhealthy levels on Thursday morning, registering an air quality index of 162 at 8 a.m. The index returned to normal levels by 10 a.m.

The city of Brewster, in Okanogan County, reached “very unhealthy” levels, with an air quality index of 233 at 7 a.m. The index returned to normal after noon.

Chelan’s air quality index reached unhealthy levels at noon and “hazardous levels,” at 420, by 4 p.m.

A moderate air quality index is considered acceptable to most, but may cause some concerns who are unusually sensitive to air pollution

The general public may experience ill health when the air quality reaches unhealthy levels.

Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.