Smoke pall drifting in from other states

A pall of smoke that has been lingering over the Flathead Valley the last couple of days has created “moderate” to “unhealthy” air quality ratings, but the Montana Department of Environmental Quality expects some clearing may occur starting Friday.

The smoke is from wildfires in California, Oregon and Idaho; recent atmospheric conditions have allowed it drift into Montana.

“Hazy, smoky skies can be seen in many areas, including all the way north in Cut Bank. There is widespread cloud cover across the state, making it difficult to track the smoke plume that is causing these elevated impacts,” according to an online report from state air quality meteorologist Kristen Martin.

Air quality was moderate in the Flathead Valley, Seeley Lake, Great Falls, Hamilton, Missoula and Broadus, while conditions in Lewistown were elevated to unhealthy Thursday afternoon.

Some precipitation was forecast with an incoming weather front, and rain could help improve conditions, Martin said.

The Flathead National Forest had a series of prescribed burns that were to be carried out this week, but air-quality conditions put most of that burning on hold.

“The next available window wouldn’t start until Sunday,” said Wade Muehlhof, the forest’s public affairs officer. “Everything else is good but obviously with air quality, we can’t burn in this. We would be contributing to an already bad situation.”

The state did allow the Spotted Bear Ranger District to proceed with burns of 416 acres near the Gorge Creek trailhead, 153 acres in the Horse Ridge area and 12 acres near Spotted Bear Lake. Those burns were carried out Tuesday and Wednesday.