Smoke Forecast for Friday, July 26, 2024
From the Montana Department of Environmental Quality website
Current Conditions
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert for Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Granite, Madison, Ravalli, and Silver Bow counties in effect until 8AM 7/27/2024 due to elevated particulate levels from wildfire smoke.
Wildfires in Idaho grew significantly on Thursday. The Thunder fire south of Salmon and the WYE MCRD fire west of Hamilton continue to send smoke up and over the Bitterroot Mountains, into Southwest Montana. There are now five active wildfires burning in Oregon that are at least 100,000 acres in size. These fires continue to send smoke into parts of the Northern Rockies and Montana.
The Miller Peak fire outside Missoula has burned over 2,600 acres with 25% containment. Gusty winds and warm temperatures could lead to increased fire activity again on Friday.
See the latest Air Resource Advisor report from the Miller Peak fire here
At 8:00 AM Friday, Libby, Columbia Falls, Cut Bank, Choteau, Seeley Lake, Frenchtown, Missoula, Helena, Dillon, Bozeman, Great Falls, Lewistown, Havre, Malta, Sidney, Glendive, Miles City, Broadus, and Billings were enduring Moderate air quality. Butte was experiencing air that is considered Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups. Hamilton was experiencing air that is considered Very Unhealthy.
Friday morning’s satellite reveals heavy smoke wildfires burning in Idaho, drifting across the border into Southwest Montana.
Forecast
Cooler, drier air continues to mix into the Northern Rockies. Numerous active fires burning in Idaho will continue to send smoke over the border into parts of Southwest Montana. Breezy conditions in the afternoon will help fan the flames on existing wildfires, while allowing surface smoke concentrations to improve slightly.
A zonal flow will keep temperatures closer to average this weekend. Breezy westerly winds will likely lead to additional fire growth on existing fires and continue to send plumes of smoke into the Bitterroot Valley and parts of Southwest Montana through the weekend.
Next week, a ridge of high pressure builds back over the area. Unseasonably warm temperatures are expected to return with afternoon highs well into the 90s. The combination of near-record warmth, dry fuels, and gusty afternoon winds will lead to additional fire growth. Unfortunately, rain chances will be few and far between over the next week.
By Saturday afternoon, the HRRR smoke model shows strong westerly winds pumping heavy smoke from regional wildfires into Montana. The Bitterroot Valley will continue to see some of the worst air quality from this pattern.
Source: HRRR Smoke
Conditions can change quickly as weather could stimulate active fires and the likelihood of new starts increases. Please keep track of concentrations at todaysair.mtdeq.us or the Fire and Smoke Map.