Washington expands air-quality alert to seven counties as wildfire smoke spreads

Washington state air-quality officials on Thursday kept an alert in place for seven western Washington counties as wildfire smoke drifted across the Puget Sound region. The Washington Department of Ecology and local clean-air agencies said smoke from fires elsewhere in the state had pushed conditions into unhealthy ranges in some areas and could continue to affect outdoor activity through late afternoon. KOMO reported the alert was extended until 5 p.m. Thursday and coincided with a heat advisory in much of western Washington. State and local health officials urged residents, especially people with underlying conditions, to limit smoke exposure and watch for worsening symptoms. ### Which counties were added, and how did the alert grow? The Washington State Department of Ecology first issued an air-quality alert through 5 p.m. Wednesday for King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston counties, according to Ecology and KOMO. Late Tuesday morning, officials expanded that alert to include Mason and Grays Harbor counties and later extended it through 5 p.m. Thursday, KOMO reported. (komonews.com) Seven counties were under the Thursday alert: King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Mason and Grays Harbor. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency separately said significant smoke was affecting western Washington and that much of the Sound could reach moderate or unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups conditions, with worse air near the Cascades. (ecology.wa.gov) ### Where is the smoke coming from? Washington Department of Ecology officials said shifting winds were carrying smoke from active fires in eastern and central Washington toward the west side. In a statewide smoke update published earlier this week, Ecology said smoke was expected to travel over parts of western Washington, including the Seattle metro area, as fire activity intensified. (komonews.com) The Washington Department of Natural Resources said Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency on Aug. 1 and issued a statewide burn ban as drought conditions, high temperatures and high winds fueled fires. DNR’s wildfire portal said several eastern Washington counties remained under evacuation-related alerts as the broader fire situation continued. (ecology.wa.gov) ### What are health officials telling people to do? The Washington State Department of Health said on Aug. 5 that widespread poor air quality from wildfire smoke posed major health risks, especially to sensitive groups. The department said older adults, children, pregnant people and people with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory conditions should reduce exposure when smoke levels rise. (dnr.wa.gov) Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and state smoke guidance tell residents to limit the duration and intensity of outdoor activity, keep indoor air cleaner when possible and use a well-fitted respirator such as an N95 if they must spend time outside in smoke. The guidance also says heat and smoke together can increase strain on the body, a point echoed in KOMO’s reporting. ### How bad are conditions likely to get? (doh.wa.gov) Ecology said smoke conditions could change quickly as winds shift and fire behavior changes. The agency said unhealthy to very unhealthy air had already affected large parts of the state this week, and additional western Washington counties could be impacted if conditions deteriorate. (pscleanair.gov) Puget Sound Clean Air Agency said its sensor network and forecasts should be used to track neighborhood-level changes because smoke can vary sharply over short distances. The agency’s public map shows current pollution readings, while the state’s wildfire-smoke page carries forecast and health guidance. ### Where can residents check for the next update? The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency said its alert center and sensor map provide the latest regional readings for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. (ecology.wa.gov) The Washington Department of Ecology and Washington Department of Health also direct residents to the state air map and smoke-health resources for updated forecasts and protective guidance. The seven-county alert was set to run until 5 p.m. (map.pscleanair.gov) Thursday, according to KOMO and prior Ecology guidance. After that, any extension or downgrade would appear on the state and local air-quality sites used by Washington agencies. (komonews.com) (pscleanair.gov)