Get ready for a hot, smoky weekend, Boise. Here’s the latest on fires, Idaho air quality
As the Boise area and much of Idaho continue a streak of temperatures nearing or breaking into the triple digits, the other summertime threat is starting to emerge: wildfires.
Residents of the Treasure Valley and South Idaho likely will see a smoky weekend, as wildfires in Idaho, Oregon and Northern California produce nasty air that started lofting into the area Friday.
Mike Toole, a regional airshed coordinator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, told the Idaho Statesman on Friday that smoky conditions will last through at least Sunday and potentially into early next week. The Boise area will see mid- to moderate levels of smoke, Toole said, with the air quality index in the moderate level.
Toole said the air quality will fluctuate, as smoke coming from the region’s fires will move in waves. He said the quality is more likely to improve in the afternoons, when temperatures are high, as the smoke is more likely to rise well above ground level then. In the early mornings and evenings, when temperatures drop, smoke is more likely to sink and worsen air quality.
Much of the region’s smoke comes from fires in California and Oregon. The Salt and Lava fires continue to burn in Northern California, covering over 12,000 and 25,000 acres, respectively. To the north, the large and uncontrolled Bootleg Fire has burned more than 38,000 acres in Oregon, causing some to evacuate in Klamath County. As of Friday, that fire was 0% contained.
It’s not just Idaho’s neighbors contributing to the haze, though. The Dixie and Jumbo fires had combined to torch more than 12,000 acres around Idaho County as of Friday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 260 people are working on both blazes, which had no containment Friday.
Recent wildfires and high temperatures prompted Idaho Gov. Brad Little to mobilize Idaho National Guard firefighters Friday and issue an emergency declaration for wildfires, according to a news release from the governor’s office. The declaration allows Guard members with fire line qualifications to work on the wildfires, and also authorizes the use of Guard aircraft resources.
“Wildfire is presenting an imminent threat to life, property, and the environment, and we need all hands on deck,” Little said in the release. “I appreciate our firefighters and fire managers for working so hard under such challenging conditions, and I am grateful that our Guardsmen are able to step in once again to support Idaho communities.”
The governor’s office also said in the Friday news release that parts of the state could enter fire restrictions, which would prohibit the use of campfires, smoking or using equipment that could spark a fire, depending on the level of restriction.
Fire conditions are hitting “extreme” levels, according to the Friday release, and weather forecasts show no signs of the risk decreasing in the coming weeks.
Large portions of Idaho’s lower-elevation areas will see temperatures in the 90s throughout the weekend. But much of Southern Idaho — stretching from Pocatello to Boise — will be under an excessive heat warning Saturday through Monday, with highs hitting 105. The excessive heat warning also stretches west into Oregon, where it includes Malheur, Baker and Harney counties.
This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 3:24 PM.
