South Sounders can expect a light haze of smoke over the next 48 hours.
Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist at The National Weather Service’s Seattle office, said smoke was drifting south on Wednesday from fires in southern British Columbia. Most of the smoke is aloft, Rademacher said, with light surface smoke being most prominent Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
“The blue sky will just become a little murky,” Rademacher said.
He said the smoke will bring visible impacts, unlike last week, when air quality dropped down to “Unhealthy” levels. Rademacher said there are fires in the Cascades, meaning surface smoke will be more prominent in areas close to the Cascade range.
Some fresh ocean air will come in on Thursday and clean the smoke out into Friday, Rademacher said.
The News Tribune also reached out to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which spans across Pierce, King, Kitsap and Snohomish counties, but did not receive a response.
How can I stay safe?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says some groups are more sensitive to wildfire smoke than others. Sensitive groups include people with chronic lung or cardiovascular diseases, children 18 years old or younger, adults 65 years old or older, and pregnant people.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose, irritated sinuses, headaches, fatigue, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.
Residents can protect themselves by:
- Staying indoors and using an air cleaner or filter to keep residences free of particles.
- Wear a respirator whenever going outdoors.
- Avoid burning anything indoors, including candles, gas, propane, incense or wood.
- Keep air quality indoors safe by not smoking, cooking on the stove or vacuuming.
To keep track of air quality, visit The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency website or wasmoke.blogspot.com.
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