Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Smoke moves into Central Washington

Lola Hibbs says breathing issues caused her to cover her mouth with a bandana while walking on Sprague Avenue and Lincoln Street, Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, in downtown Spokane. Heavy smoke from many large wildfires deteriorated the region's air quality. (Dan Pelle)
The brown skies Spokane experienced Friday have moved on. Air quality monitors in the Spokane area rate the air “good” or “moderate.” But the air in Yakima, Ellensburg, Twisp, Winthrop, Pullman and Lewiston currently is rated “unhealthy” or “very unhealthy,” according to the state Department of Ecology. Wind pushed the smoke west and south overnight and this morning, said National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Bodnar. The wind is dying down and air quality shouldn’t deteriorate much in Spokane this evening, he said. With little wind, smoke will be trapped in the valleys of central and north central Washington. The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency’s website crashed because of high traffic, said agency spokeswoman Lisa Woodard. It was back up late this morning after it was moved to a new server. She said officials will analyze data on Monday to better understand Friday’s unprecedented readings. At 8:20 p.m., the agency’s Spokane Valley monitor recorded particulate matter in the “hazardous” range, a rating air quality officials said they had never seen. With so much smoke from regional fires, Woodard said people with health concerns should continue to keep an eye on air quality before spending much time outside. “We’re still advising people to be cautious,” she said.