Whatcom County still waiting for wind to blow away wildfire smoke
Blue skies appeared overhead and the sun shone for the first time in several days, but the air remained at unhealthy levels Tuesday, Sept. 15, across Whatcom County and the entire Puget Sound region.
“There is some clearing and the wind at the upper levels is blowing quite a bit,” said meteorologist Matthew Cullen at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
No relief is expected until at least Thursday afternoon, as a new storm system arrives.
“It will really be more into Friday,” Cullen said. “When that front comes, in we’ll see the wind picking up.”
An overnight sprinkling of rain did nothing to ease the smoky skies plaguing Western Washington.
Less than a tenth of an inch of rain was recorded Monday night, Sept. 14, at Bellingham International Airport.
“Smoke and air quality will remain the primary issue across Western Washington through much of the week, with an air quality alert remaining in effect into Thursday,” meteorologist Gary Schneider wrote in the weather service’s online forecast discussion.
Air quality at 10 a.m. Tuesday was near the “hazardous” level of 300 in Bellingham and Ferndale and in the hazardous range in Lynden/Custer, according to Northwest Clean Air Agency sensors.
Air quality near Maple Falls was “unhealthy,” with an index of 173 for smoke particles.
“Given current observations and trends to the air quality, do not expect smoke to scour out much today or Wednesday,” Schneider said.
Computer forecast models from NOAA and FireSmoke Canada show skies clearing briefly but with heavy smoke returning Tuesday.
Because of the smoke, high temperatures will remain in the mid-60s to lows 70s, cooler than normally expected, the forecast said.
According to the app “Sh**t! I Smoke,” Whatcom County’s air quality had an impact on most people’s health equal to smoking nearly six cigarettes.
COVID testing canceled
Meanwhile, Whatcom Unified Command once again canceled outdoor COVID-19 testing sites because of smoke Tuesday and said online that patients who had appointments will be given priority when testing resumes.
The Whatcom County Library System announced that it closed curbside pickup at all branches except the Deming and North Fork library locations due to the poor air quality. Curbside pickup still will be available during regular hours at Deming and North Fork, while it’s been canceled at the Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Island, Lynden, Point Roberts, South Whatcom and Sumas locations and at the Northwest Drive Library Express.
Bellingham Public Schools announced that it would not hold food distribution Tuesday at Shuksan Middle School due to the air quality. Updates will be available at bellinghamfoodbank.org.
Officials at the Northwest Clean Air Agency continued a “stage two” burn ban that outlaws all outside fires, including recreational fires and campfires, in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties.
Fire officials in Whatcom County and the cities of Bellingham and Ferndale issued similar burn bans. Propane barbecues and propane fire pits without wood are allowed, however.
County officials also closed the Plantation Rifle Range in an effort to avoid sparking a wildfire.
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 7:31 AM.
