After layers of wildfire smoke hovered over Seattle for days, the city saw blue skies Saturday — and the fresh air should stick around into next week.
Most of Puget Sound will see good to moderate air quality this weekend through Monday, as westerly winds push smoke east, according to a forecast by the state Department of Ecology. In Seattle, the air quality index hovered between 14 and 56 Saturday afternoon, with numbers 50 and over indicating a moderate AQI. Moderate air quality levels are generally safe, but pose risks for residents sensitive to air pollution.
The weather in the Seattle area is set to clear up next week due to onshore flow, which will direct wildfire smoke eastward, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“That keeps us in fairly good shape,” Guy said.
Apart from a small lingering haze, he said, residents should expect less smoke and cooler temperatures, with highs in the 70s through the middle of the week.
But despite the lower temperatures, Guy said, the next few days will be dry with little chance of precipitation. On Friday, King County and the city of Seattle banned outdoor fires — including campfires and backyard fire pits using chopped firewood or charcoal. A statewide burn ban went into effect Aug. 1.
“Fire danger is still going to be up there, so you have to be super careful with anything that can cause sparks or any form of flame,” Guy said. “If you're camping or doing anything outdoors, be extremely careful with fire.”
Meanwhile, 13 counties in Eastern and Central Washington — including Spokane, Chelan, Stevens and Whitman — were under an air quality alert from Saturday “until further notice due to current and expected smoke from regional fires,” with the AQI projected to reach “very unhealthy” levels in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.
Smoke from fires in British Columbia and Oregon has also added to the haze.
On Friday, the Entiat area saw AQI levels at an astronomical 2,600, due to smoke billowing from the nearby Little Giant fire that jumped Lake Chelan. Air at the south end of the lake ranged from “unhealthy” to “hazardous” Saturday, with AQI readings above 300.
Spokane wildfires have burned over 16 square miles and around 900 homes, buildings and other structures.
As of Saturday, the Autumn Lane fire was 47% contained, the Old Trails fire was 43% contained and the Fairview fire was 31% contained, according to Spokane County Fire District 4.
A red flag warning was set to remain in effect for much of Eastern Washington until 11 p.m. Saturday.
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