Smoke pollution worsens to unhealthy

Wildfire smoke pollution intensified across the Inland Northwest today, putting many locales at or above unhealthy levels for all persons. North Idaho was reporting some of the highest pollution readings, including hazardous air in the Silver Valley and Moscow. Some of the unhealthiest air was measured in North Idaho where the air quality index was well above the threshold of being unhealthy for everyone. Spokane had been in a lower category of unhealthy for persons with health concerns, but at mid-afternoon was teetering on the edge of the unhealthy rating which starts at 150. The latest reading about 4:45 p.m. showed improvement in Spokane to 126 on the index, which is considered unhealthy for persons with health concerns. Other nearby areas had downright hazardous air, which is above 300 on the index. While Coeur d’Alene had an air quality rating of 187, which is unhealthy for everyone, Pinehurst in the Silver Valley was at 359 this afternoon. That is in the hazardous category, two categories above unhealthy. Even worse, Moscow reported 466 on the index, which is even more hazardous. Kamiah, Idaho, where one of the fires is burning, hit the maximum reading of 500. Areas closer to the fires to the northwest had unhealthy to very unhealthy air and some spots with hazardous air. Other parts of the central Idaho Panhandle reported unhealthy to very unhealthy air this afternoon. Lisa Woodard, spokeswoman for the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, said bands of smoke were drifting across the region. She said an overnight temperature inversion tonight may increase smoke concentration by holding it closer to the ground in a layer of cooler air inverted below warmer air. That pattern has been repeating itself for several days now. A regional tennis tournament for players at ages 40 and older has been moved to indoor facilities in the Spokane area, said Dana Haynes, spokeswoman for the Spokane Sports Commission About 800 players are arriving for the Pacific Northwest tournament under the U.S. Tennis Association on Friday through Sunday. Area universities and racquet clubs are opening their indoor courts to the competitors, she said. National Weather Service forecasters said an increase in southwest winds on Thursday may move some of the smoke away from the Spokane region and help improve air quality. A cold front on Friday night and Saturday may bring rain to the more northern fires, but also whip up winds and potentially dust during the day on Saturday. Gusts in the Columbia Basin could reach 40 mph with winds extending into the Spokane area. Any showers in the Spokane area would be light. Cooler temperatures with highs in the 70s will follow the cold front and continue into next week, which should help firefighters.