Smoke from Sourdough fire settles over Seattle

SEATTLE — Forest fire smoke has set in over the Seattle skyline.

The air quality index (AQI) reached a “moderate” ranking of 57 when smoke from the nearby Sourdough forest fire descended onto Western Washington Sunday evening.

The air quality index “AQI” was around 14 as recorded by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) Sunday morning. By 5 p.m., the air quality had degraded by 43 points after smoke began rolling in from the Sourdough forest fire burning in Whatcom County. Over the past few days, the Sourdough fire has burned 1,938 acres of forest, and the smog now hovers above Seattle. Even though the haze might look ominous, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it might not be all that dangerous.

While an AQI ranking of over 50 is not a “good” air quality ranking, the EPA says the smoke is really only a concern for unusually sensitive individuals who suffer from respiratory conditions. Additionally, this smoke is fairly high up meaning the surface air quality is still decent in most parts of Seattle.

If you would like to track Seattle’s air quality in real time you can do so on the PSCAA’s website.

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