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SPOKANE, Wash.– For the first time since 2016, Spokane got halfway through September without a day ruined by wildfire smoke. According to Spokane Clean Air Agency, at least one day failed EPA air quality standards because of wildfire smoke from 2017 to 2023. In many cases, it was far more than one day.
Unhealthy smoke days in Spokane went from almost non-existent before 2011 to an average of one week per year in the 2010s and early 2020s.
A series of fortunate weather events are mostly responsible for the clean air so far in 2024. First, a major storm in August dumped heavy rain in the Cascades and British Columbia. As summer turns to fall, prevailing winds often come from these areas into Spokane. Another storm in September brought heavy rain to Northeast Oregon, Central Idaho, and Southeast Washington. This combined with cooler temperatures have dropped fire activity significantly since July.
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However, it’s not time to relax just yet. Historically the majority of unhealthy smoke days are already past us on the calendar, but not all. Spokane does have a history of wildfires and smoke in October. The infamous Firestorm ’91 was on October 16th, while the latest unhealthy smoke day on the books was on October 19th, 2022.