Smoke made Boise air ‘very unhealthy’ Sunday, and it won’t clear for several days
Wildfire smoke from blazes burning across the West settled into Boise this weekend, and the thick haze isn’t likely to lift for several days, according to the local weather experts.
Parts of California, Oregon and Washington have experienced “hazardous” air quality — the worst possible air quality index rating — as multiple large fires burn there. Mild smoke made its way to Idaho last week, but on Sunday, the Treasure Valley crossed the threshold to the next-worst category, “very unhealthy.”
The U.S. Air Quality Index reported a 201 AQI for Boise on Sunday afternoon. The index is ranked from 0 to 500. Boise’s 201 rating was for the smallest category of particulate matter, PM2.5, which can harm hearts and lungs when inhaled.
Mike Cantin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Boise branch, said the unhealthy air won’t clear for several days.
“In general, conditions will remain pretty much like they are now through Monday and Tuesday,” Cantin said in a phone interview on Sunday afternoon. “There may be some improvement depending on how the fires (on the coast) continue to burn.”
We’ll continue to see winds coming from the southwest, which will drive more smoke into the area, Cantin said. The smoke will keep temperatures cooler than average for this time of year, with highs in the mid-80s for the next several days.
But relief could come in the form of a low-pressure system that will begin moving toward Boise mid-week. Forecasters expect that system to drop precipitation in Oregon and Washington, potentially giving firefighters a chance to contain wildfires there. It could also cause some light showers in Boise on Saturday as winds move smoke out of our area.
However, the same system could potentially cause high winds in California, exacerbating firefighting efforts there.
“It doesn’t seem like a big relief for (California),” Cantin said.
Temperatures in the Boise area will reach highs in the low 80s or upper 70s as the low-pressure system moves through.
As smoke remains in the area, Boise residents can check the air quality index at airnow.gov. While Boise is in the “very unhealthy” category, people are encouraged to limit outdoor activity and strenuous outdoor exercise in particular. Sensitive groups — the elderly, children and people with heart and lung conditions — should avoid outdoor activity as much as possible.
