SEATTLE — Although smoke might be visible in the skies above western Washington for some, air quality in the region is not expected to be impacted by ongoing wildfires.
As of 9 a.m. Monday, Seattle's Air Quality Index (AQI) was just 12, according to IQ Air.
The site's air quality map shows a few pockets of higher AQI levels east of Seattle in places like Carnation and Sammamish, but nothing that rises above what would be considered "moderate" air quality.
In the middle of the day Sunday, smoke became noticeable in Seattle and drove the city's AQI into the moderate range.
Still, this week's numbers aren't close to the unhealthy air quality Seattle experienced in October 2022, when it was among the highest AQI levels among major cities around the world.
The smoke from Sunday into Monday is from the Sourdough Fire, according to the National Weather Service, blown into the area due to north winds.
The Sourdough fire is estimated to be at 2,586 acres and is 5% contained, according to Inciweb. The fire is burning near Diablo in the Ross Lake National Recreation area.
The fire danger will be elevated this week due to the ongoing drought conditions, high temperatures, low relative humidity, and light offshore winds. These environmental and atmospheric conditions will favor the development and spread of wildfires. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through Tuesday evening for the western slopes of the Cascades above 1,500 feet.
KING 5 has activated First Alert for this weather event, which could affect lives, property, or travel in the Pacific Northwest region. During this event, the First Alert Weather Team will bring you the latest information to keep you and your family safe.
