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Smoke Outlook 7/26-7/27: Rain washing out daytime smoke, Upper Yukon still dry

By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 26, 2019

Daytime air quality will be good to moderate across the state, with smoke expected to settle overnight and/or Saturday night in northern areas, lifting again in late morning. While rain has reached Fairbanks and North Pole, dry conditions persist in Upper Yukon. Conditions will be drying out around Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, increasing the likelihood of fire activity in those areas.

North (Fairbanks, Upper Yukon, Denali National Park)

Fire

Lightning activity has continued to be high in the Upper Yukon Valley, where fire behavior is expected to remain active with relatively warm, dry conditions. Although scattered showers have tempered the fire activity in some areas including Fairbanks and North Pole, most areas have remained dry. It should be noted that drought conditions are still prevalent, and even the areas that do receive moisture, can still dry out quickly.

Chart shows moderate air quality forecast in Fairbanks and North Pole, and potentially unhealthy conditions in Fort Yukon for people within sensitive groups during July 26 and July 27.

Smoke

Air quality in Fairbanks and North Pole should be good to moderate today, but smoke from nearby fires will move into this area overnight, producing moderate to “USG” conditions, indicating that people with a sensitivity to smoke should take precautions as listed below.

Good air quality is expected at Denali NP for most of the day as airflow generally keeps smoke away from the Park. The Park could begin to see an increase in smoke in the area Saturday night. In the Yukon Flats, air quality will be worst this morning, slightly improving throughout the day. Smoke will settle in again and negatively impact air quality overnight in this area.

Southeasterly winds will continue to push smoke over northwestern Alaska and over the Brooks Range and to the North Slope.

If you begin to notice health effects from smoke, you are encouraged to follow these “actions to protect yourself:

List of actions to protect yourself less-than-good air quality based on your sensitivity and physical activity level.

South (Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, Copper River, Juneau)

Fire

Swan Lake Fire is approximately 102,229 acres in size with 72% of the planned objectives accomplished. Fire activity is expected to remain calm, however conditions for burning will be better than yesterday.

Smoke

Continued relief form smoke impacts is expected. Haze or moderate air quality possible, but not likely.