What is causing the smoke and ash in Seattle and the Northwest?

Q: What is causing the smoke and ash in Seattle and the Northwest?

A: There are multiple wild fires in Washington State. Two of them are especially large, the Jolly Mountain fire northwest of Cle Elum, and the Norse Peak fire near Rainier. That's what's causing the smoke and ash.

Because of the weather pattern, we’re getting offshore winds that move from land to the ocean. That type of pattern takes wind from Eastern Washington to the west – and the smoke comes with it.

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The fire near Cle Elum, about 83 miles (133 kilometers) east of Seattle, has grown to 33 square miles.

Crystal Mountain Resort closed Monday due to smoke from the Norse Peak fire, burning about 126 miles southeast of Seattle. By Sunday, that fire had burned 27.5 square miles and was only 8 percent contained.

A wildfire in central Washington state has crossed the border into Canada. The Diamond Creek fire has burned 107 square miles and is affecting air quality in the Methow Valley.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.

Cox Media Group