Montana Air Quality Takes Another Hit From New Fires

A combination of fresh fire starts, and smoke pouring into the Northern Rockies from other states, is pushing air quality to some of the worst levels we’ve seen so far this summer.

While a change in the weather later this week, expected as high pressure shifts east, could bring winds to help clear skies, it’s also increasing the potential for “fire weather”, and problematic winds.

Conditions deteriorated to the point Monday, that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality alert for much of the state.

Missoula County Orders Evacuations for New Fire Start

New, smaller fires join the list of blazes in Montana

Air quality was already marginal over the weekend, but dropped in the Missoula area Monday morning with the outbreak of the new Butler Creek Fire.

Although largely a fast-moving fire because it involved grasslands, the new blaze forced evacuations, and had torched over 200 acres by last morning. That created more smoke which dropped air quality at most Missoula stations to “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, with a few registering “unhealthy” air for all residences.

Bad air statewide

By Monday afternoon, air quality had not improved. DEQ stations in Missoula, Frenchtown, and Hamilton were showing air “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Other locations in Kalispell, and Northwest Montana had haze, but air quality remained “moderate.”

East of the Divide, Cutback, Chateau, and Helena had warnings of air being “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The worst air in the state is in the Great Falls area, and a few locations in the Helena Valley, where readings had hit “unhealthy”. That’s where the warnings apply to all people to limit their time outdoors and avoid exertion.

READ MORE; Fire Smoke Keeps Missoula on “Most Polluted Cities” List

Regional fire smoke not helping

EPA maps are showing smoke plumes coming into Montana from not only the fires burning in British Columbia, the Cascades, Eastern Washington, and Oregon but also from Alberta.