Libby air quality so far 'good' despite area wildfires, says DEQ

With the onset of wildfire season, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality on June 30 issued its first periodic report on how wildfire smoke is affecting air quality throughout the state.

Air quality was reported as “generally good” in June, when the majority of wildfire activity occurring in Arizona and Utah, but as the calender flipped into July wildfire activity picked up not only in Montana but also in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, Air Quality Meteorologist Kristen Martin states in the report.

The air quality in the vicinity of Libby was listed as “good” Monday morning, despite a series of fires on and around Rogers and Grubb mountains east of Libby thought to have been started by lightning Friday evening. However, a DEQ website acknowledged “information is currently limited on these fires.”

A DEQ forecast on Saturday said to “expect more localized (smoke) impacts near fires here in Montana,” and that “we may also see more smoke impacts move in from Washington and Idaho, depending on the fire activity levels there next week.”

On Monday, the DEQ forecast “cooler weather for the first time in over a week,” caused by a flattening ridge of high pressure, that would last only through Tuesday.

“The ridge of high pressure will rebuild quickly on Wednesday, with temperatures likely to reach the upper 90s or low 100s by the end of the week,” the forecast states.

For more information on air quality, fire activity and forecasts, visit todaysair.mt.gov.