The air quality index is sitting close to 130 on Tuesday morning, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane's air quality has improved from "hazardous" on Monday morning to "unhealthy for some groups" on Tuesday. The air quality index was reported is sitting close to 130 on Tuesday morning, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. "Unhealthy for some groups" means the general public is not likely to be affected and sensitive groups might still experience some health effects. On Monday morning, the air quality index in Spokane was sitting above 300 in the "hazardous" range. City officials canceled Ultimate Sports Camp, Adventure Camp and Mobile Recreation on Monday, along with outdoor athletic events. Tuesday's Riverfront Eats was also canceled in anticipation of poor air quality. City officials said all Riverfront Park attractions closed Monday due to the hazardous air quality, and some garbage and recycling pickup would be delayed until at least Tuesday. Monday's collection area is primarily located in northeast Spokane. In Coeur d'Alene, the air quality is unhealthy on Tuesday morning, according to EPA website AirNow. Hazardous conditions moved into our region for the first time on Sunday as wildfires continue to burn in and around the Inland Northwest. Spokane's air quality did reach moderate levels Saturday but wind caused more smoke from Canadian wildfires to drift towards the Inland Northwest. A satellite view of the smoke in the Inland Northwest. pic.twitter.com/HXZp8VXmqm — NWS Spokane (@NWSSpokane) August 20, 2018<doc-sep>As of Monday morning, Spokane, Washington’s air quality is worse than Beijing and Delhi combined. Surrounded on three sides by warming-driven wildfires, Seattle is also experiencing its worst air quality on record, according to Cliff Mass, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Washington University. On Sunday, Mass warned that “a smokestorm is imminent for western Washington.” In Eastern Washington, the air is literally “hazardous.” At 7:15 a.m. local time Monday, Spokane’s Regional Health District tweeted out that “Spokane is waking to ‘hazardous’ or maroon category for air quality.” That means, “At this level, everyone should be staying indoors.” HAZARDOUS AIR QUALITY: As of 7:15 a.m. today, Aug. 20, Spokane is waking to ‘hazardous’ or maroon category for air quality. At this level, everyone should be staying indoors. @SpokaneCleanAir has hourly air quality updates: https://t.co/XHrtqpSBws pic.twitter.com/HrRV2hheOr — SRHD (@spokanehealth) August 20, 2018 The warning is based on PM2.5 levels, which measure the fine particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, much of which is caused by combustion of fossil fuels. Advertisement These particles are so tiny — 20 times smaller than the width of human hair — they can bypass the body’s normal defense mechanisms and cause grave harm. Studies have found that PM2.5 concentrations are directly correlated to mortality levels from lung cancer and cardiopulmonary disease. Equally worrisome, recent studies link particulate matter directly to higher rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia. In the air quality index (AQI) system used for warning the public (see below), 0 to 50 is considered a “good level,” but anything above 150 is “unhealthy” for all groups, and anything above 300 is “hazardous.” The air quality index for warning the public about the health effects of air pollution. As of mid-morning Pacific time, the AQI for Beijing is 81. The AQI for Delhi is 173. The AQI for Spokane is 306. The highest recorded level Monday in Washington State is over 400. Advertisement While air quality is worst in the states currently battling major wildfires, smoke from the numerous western wildfires has traveled all the way across the country, even to Washington, D.C. California has been slammed by the worst wildfires on record. But eastern Washington is also ablaze, and British Columbia’s wildfires to the north are so severe that places like Prince George are seeing darkness hours after sunrise. Downtown Prince George. It is now pitch black. We are in downtown. #BCWildfires pic.twitter.com/nLDm1trQIz — Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) August 17, 2018 And the reason so many places in North America and around the world are seeing such off the charts wildfires — and that so many places around the world have seen “unprecedented” wildfires in the last few years — is also no mystery. Climate change is a major cause — despite the fact that President Trump and his Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke have offered all sorts of “comedically ill-informed” alternative explanations, as experts pointed out last week. In fact, President Trump’s own White House signed off on the actual science behind increasing wildfires. As the November 2017 National Climate Assessment explains, “frequently discussed in the literature is the increase in wildfire risk resulting from the combined effects of high precipitation variability (wet seasons followed by dry), elevated temperature, and low humidity.” Advertisement Those wildfires do terrible damage right where they occur, as we’ve seen, but they also harm human health hundreds and even thousands of miles away. This post has been updated.<doc-sep>The unhealthy, smokey air left Spokane on Friday. But it may be back soon. For the first time since Sunday, Spokane woke up Friday to air better than “unhealthy.” Air quality swung between “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and “moderate” on the air quality index Friday, which is based on the amount of particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller in the air. A cold front that moved into the area late Thursday and early Friday brought rain to some parts as it cleared the air. The scattered rain mostly was insignificant. The Spokane International Airport reported only a trace of rain about 6:30 a.m. “I had drops on my windshield, but nothing I would even use my wipers for,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Laurie Nisbet. Meanwhile, Nisbet said the system brought about 100 strikes of lightning to Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The forecast shows some potential shifts in the wind direction. The problem? There are fires in most directions from Spokane. “We are surrounded,” Nisbet said. “It’s just something we’re going to have to deal with for probably the rest of this month.” The average 24-hour air quality on Thursday in Spokane was in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, according to the Spokane Regional Clear Air Agency. The previous three days were in the “unhealthy” for all category.<doc-sep>As of noon on Wednesday, Spokane's air quality index was sitting near 160. The unhealthy range begins when the AQI reaches 150. SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane's air quality has returned to the "unhealthy" range on Wednesday morning, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. At 5:30 a.m., the air quality index was sitting near 160. The unhealthy range begins when the AQI reaches 150. On Tuesday, the the AQI returned to "unhealthy for some groups," bumping Spokane out of the top five areas with the worst air quality. Be on the lookout for City of Spokane aquatic center closures, as they close when the AQI reaches 150. In Coeur d'Alene, the air quality is unhealthy on Tuesday morning, according to EPA website AirNow. We can forecast jumps and drops in air quality, but beyond just few days is difficult to predict. Forecasting 24 to 48 hours ahead is generally the most accurate. We have a better idea of wind speed and direction and the size of wildfires. Beyond that period of time, things can change quickly. New fires can spark or winds can change direction, all can contribute to a flawed forecast.<doc-sep>
Spokane's air quality is sitting at 216 or in the "very unhealthy" range as of 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane reached "hazardous" air conditions for the first time this year. On Sunday evening, Spokane's air quality fell further and was sitting at 303 as of 6:15 p.m., according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Spokane's air quality did reach moderate levels Saturday, but wind has caused more smoke from Canadian wildfires to drift towards the Inland Northwest. When air quality is in the hazardous range, the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency advises everyone, especially older people and those who are sick, to stay indoors, avoid all strenuous activity, close windows and doors, recirculate your air conditioning and use a HEPA air filter if possible. Smoke from Canadian wildfires are drifting towards the Inland Northwest. Air quality has reached the "Hazardous/Maroon" level. Everyone should try to stay indoors at this time. Hourly updates to air quality can be found at https://t.co/ow2LaJ2unB pic.twitter.com/OaL755Jnm5 — Spokane Clean Air (@SpokaneCleanAir) August 20, 2018 Smoky skies are also affecting areas in North Idaho, particularly businesses and visitors on Lake Coeur d’Alene on Sunday. The Scenic Flights Company gives overhead tours of the lake. Noah Lunt, the company’s business operator, said the smoke has kept people from wanting to tour the area. “Usually, we’ll be running pretty much from about 10:00 to 6:30 nonstop. Today, I’ve only had two flights,” Lunt said. Many people wore masks as they walked along the shore. Others had to change their outdoor plans. Once a year Savannah Bartoli and her children travel from Seattle to Coeur d’Alene for the city’s summer activities. But this year the air quality made them reconsider some of their plans. “We just wish the smoke would go away, because we were talking about doing parasailing, but I don’t know if we want to do that with the smoke,” she said. She said she had to closely watch her children and see how they were reacting to the air.