What’s causing all the smoke in eastern Idaho?
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IDAHO FALLS – Hazy conditions throughout eastern Idaho are causing concerns for locals.
EastIdahoNews.com received numerous messages Monday asking where all the smoke in the Idaho Falls-Ammon area is coming from.
Andrew McKaughan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pocatello, tells EastIdahoNews.com it could be coming from the Red Rock Fire near Challis.
Over the weekend, fire officials reported massive growth due to winds surpassing 60 mph. A deputy incident commander for one of the fire teams estimated a 40,000 acre increase from Friday to Saturday, with total acreage starting at 10,000 and increasing to 50,000 early Saturday morning.
But despite the boost in fire activity, McKaughan says satellite imagery isn’t showing significant smoke in the Idaho Falls area as a result of the blaze.
“The winds are bringing some of that smoke east and south,” he says. “I can see a little haziness in the satellite imagery, but I honestly don’t know where it’s coming from.”
Amy Baumer, a spokeswoman for Salmon-Challis National Forest near the Red Rock Fire, says most of the smoke plumes are drifting north of Idaho Falls.
She believes the haziness is the result of multiple wildfires in western Wyoming.
Inciweb shows three fires burning on the western side of the state, the largest of which is the Pack Trail Fire in Bridger-Teton National Forest. As of 10 a.m., the total acreage is 54,487 acres.
Fire spokesman Dartanyan Ratley is unable to say for sure whether this fire is contributing to the smoke in eastern Idaho.
“There is smoke currently on our fire, but the wind is pushing it more to the southeast” which is the opposite direction of Idaho Falls,” Ratley explains.
Just before 7 p.m., the NWS posted on Facebook the smoke is likely coming from Montana.
“Smoke from fires in the mountains around Salmon and Stanley had been blowing into Montana. A weak system entered east Idaho today and brought that smoke from Montana back into east Idaho,” the NWS writes.
Despite the hazy conditions, the Idaho Dept. of Environmental Quality isn’t showing a significant drop in air quality Monday night. A map on the agency’s website indicates the air quality in the Idaho Falls and Rexburg areas is “moderate,” which means the risk factor for people with respiratory or other health issues is low.
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