Wildfire, Smoke, Air Quality Resources

[Born2BBrad]

Many years ago, Koda created a thread called "Open Source TOPO map/GPS software" in the Maps and Navigation form. It was very helpful and many people contributed. It ended up being a sticky that stays at the top of that forum.

Is there anything similar for wildfires, smoke and air quality, and forecasts related to smoke and air quality? With wildfires increasingly affecting the hiking community, many people may be interested to know where to go, or where not to go.

Updated to compile sources provided. I'll update again

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FireSmoke.ca
Link: https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/
Interactive map with several layer options. Shows where active fires are, as well as where the smoke. Shows general trend of where smoke is heading. FAQ for more info: https://firesmoke.ca/faq/

Ventusky
Link: https://www.ventusky.com/
Interactive map with lots of options, including air quality. Can select forecast up to four days in the future.

Air Now 1
Link: https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?contours ... .950366851
Interactive map for air quality. Options for Current, Forecast, Loops and Archive.

Air Now 2
Link: https://fire.airnow.gov/
This one shows AQI monitors. When you click on a monitor you get the current reading plus a short recent history. This specific link shows all--just move the map to your area of interest and wait a moment for the AQI monitors to load.

Canada Weather Smoke Map
Link: https://www.weather.gc.ca/firework/fire ... =tc&utc=00
Canada’s Wildfire Smoke Prediction System. Interactive map for smoke. Let’s you see a forecast for 72 hours by pressing the play button.

InciWeb
Link: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Interactive map showing where active fires are. You can zoom in and select specific fires to read the latest information, as well as the history of each fire.

Pacific Northwest Regional Fire Closures
Link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r6/h ... width=full
Interactive map showing USFS fire closures for sites, roads and trails. You can zoom in and select a specific area.

National Interagency Fire Center
Link: https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
Gives text based fire summary by state including new fires and fires considered contained. Other info on other tabs.

NOAA GOES Image Viewer
Link: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/s ... sector=pnw
Satellite products showing what is happening at different light wavelengths. There are 23 different products. The very first product is visible light and is good for smoke and clouds during daylight hours. The second selection shows lightning flashes. Two days ago this showed lightning in extreme NW California, and now there's about 20 fires in that area. The sixth selection is Fire Temperature but this is not very sensitive so most fires don't show.

NASA FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System)
Link: https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/ma ... 0.0,0.0,3z
Fire resource with a global perspective.

NOAA HRRR-Smoke
Link: https://hwp-viz.gsd.esrl.noaa.gov/smoke/index.html
NOAA SMOKE FORECAST: Click the Near Surface Smoke on left and then click play at bottom

Purple Air
Link: https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p6 ... /-121.2983
AIR QUALITY: Purple Air - Monitoring Stations in the Gorge. Interactive map where you can zoom in and select specific monitoring station.

Watch Duty
Link: https://www.watchduty.org/
App for reporting of new incidents and mapping. New fire watch app from a non-profit fire reporting group. This app is still limited, but as more stations join, it will improve.

Alert Wildfire
Link: https://www.alertwildfire.org/region/or ... s-Anderson
ALERTWildfire is a consortium of The University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Oregon providing fire cameras and tools to help firefighters and first responders. Lots of live webcams so you can see for yourself what the smoke situation is.

[Bosterson]

Firesmoke.ca is good for forecasting over ~ 2 days in the future, though it's just a forecast and isn't necessarily accurate.

AirNow.gov is the go-to for current monitoring - you can drag the map around to see current conditions wherever you're going. This obviously will be less useful outside of metro areas, but between that and the smoke forecast above, it should at least give an idea of what things will be like outside.

[retired jerry]

https://www.ventusky.com/ - select "air quality", you can select periods in the next few days

https://www.weather.gc.ca/firework/fire ... =tc&utc=00 - next 72 hours

https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Portland&s ... ountry=USA - current air quality for a zip code you enter

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ - status of different active forest fires

[teachpdx]

firesmoke.ca is my go-to for planning quick weekends or overnights.

One thing to note is that the shading on their maps doesn't cleanly correspond with the air quality index. I wrote down the conversions awhile back and copied them down below... it's not a linear relationship. It also only takes into account smoke and not other things like smog/ozone that can drive the air quality even worse. Generally you need to be the second or third shade of brown on their map before it gets noticeable enough to mess with plans.

10 ug/m3 = 42 AQI
28 ug/m3 = 84 AQI
60 ug/m3 = 153 AQI
120 ug/m3 = 184 AQI
250 ug/m3 = 300 AQI

I now keep an N95 in my first aid kit for both quick and extended backpacking trips. When you're two days from the nearest trailhead and the smoke gets crazy, you'll be glad you carried that 1/4 oz. of weight with you.

[retired jerry]

I started taking N95 mask during covid

I have just left it in my kit for smoke

But, I've never taken the mask out of it's package

[BurnsideBob]

This thread prompted me to review all my fire and smoke bookmarks. Almost all of them are 404s. There used to be a satellite image product that showed heat release of fires. This was a high resolution product and was used by agencies to locate new fire starts. I'm sure this still exists, but perhaps is no longer viewable by us, the general public.

This URL shows USFS closures, most of which are fire related, which may help people plan trips: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r6/h ... width=full

This one shows AQI monitors. When you click on a monitor you get the current reading plus a short recent history.
https://fire.airnow.gov/# RJ previously posted a link to this site with the location filter set to Portland. This version shows all--just move the map to your area of interest and wait a moment for the AQI monitors to load.

National Interagency Fire Center News Page--gives fire summary by state including new fires and fires considered 'contained'. Other info on other tabs. https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn

Satellite products showing what is happening at different light wavelengths. https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/s ... sector=pnw

There are 23 different products. The very first product is visible light and is good for smoke and clouds during daylight hours. The second selection shows lightning flashes. Two days ago this showed lightning in extreme NW California, and now there's about 20 fires in that area. The sixth selection is Fire Temperature but this is not very sensitive so most fires don't show.

Happy clicking!

Burnside

[BurnsideBob]

This just found! Another fire resource with a global perspective.

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/ma ... 0.0,0.0,3z


Burnside

[drm]

So out here in The Dalles, we have it really bad now - ranging between unhealthy and very unhealthy. But when I go to firesmoke.ca, it says it is moderate. However, Ventusky has the current conditions accurately. So I guess I am inclined to trust it's forecast for the next few days more. It also agrees more with the TV weather smoke forecast. I am heading out to Adams this week - so I want to know when it will be clear.

It also will be chilly compared to recent weather. But that's good if you are doing a route with potentially challenging water crossings. It will be just the opposite of my recent hot trip in the Wallowas.

[retired jerry]

According to Ventusky and other sources there's supposed to be a lobe of smoke going along I5 from Portland to Salem, and smoke east of portland, with a narrow strip of clear going through Oregon City.

Actually, that narrow strip is further west along I5.

Okay, that's not too bad a forecast. I think you have to interpret all weather forecasts similarly - maybe they're off a little in time or location.

It's all supposed to blow east by tomorrow. Probably to The Dalles. Sorry about that

[Born2BBrad]

The original post was updated to compile the sources provided. I'll book mark this page and use this to help plan trips during fire season. Thanks for the responses everyone!