Western Washington — including Pierce and Thurston counties — will see increased wildfire smoke over the next few days.
In a news release, the National Weather Service said winds will blow smoke from wildfires burning in Eastern Washington and Southern British Columbia into Western Washington, beginning Sunday evening and “continuing into at least midweek.”
Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at The National Weather Service, told The News Tribune winds will blow smoke from wildfires burning in Eastern Washington and Southern British Columbia into Western Washington, beginning Sunday evening.
Air quality will start to decline in the middle of the day on Monday, Guy said.
“As we get into Tuesday, the smoke will start to get a little thicker,” Guy said.
Guy said more information would be up to the local clean air agency. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency serves Pierce, King, Kitsap and Snohomish counties, while the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency serves Thurston, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason and Pacific counties.
Air quality agencies measure air quality by the Air Quality Index (AQI):
Good: 0-50Moderate: 51-100Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 101-150Unhealthy: 151-200Very Unhealthy: 201-300Hazardous: 301 or more.
As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency had a warning on its website, saying air quality will range from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups on Monday. On Tuesday, air quality will range from unhealthy for sensitive groups to unhealthy.
The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency did not have any warnings on its website as of 3 p.m. on Sunday. The News Tribune was unable to reach ORCAA on Sunday.
Temperatures are also expected to be hot, according to the NWS website, with highs of 70, 77 and 80 degrees in Tacoma on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. In Olympia, temperatures are expected to reach 80 degrees on Monday, 89 degrees on Tuesday and 94 degrees on Wednesday.
How can I stay safe?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says some groups are more sensitive to wildfire smoke than others. Sensitive groups include people with chronic lung or cardiovascular diseases, children 18 years old or younger, adults 65 years old or older, and pregnant people.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose, irritated sinuses, headaches, fatigue, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.
Residents can protect themselves by:
Staying indoors and using an air cleaner or filter to keep residences free of particles.Wear a respirator whenever going outdoors.Avoid burning anything indoors, including candles, gas, propane, incense or wood.Keep air quality indoors safe by not smoking, cooking on the stove or vacuuming.
To keep track of air quality, visit The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency or Olympic Region Clean Air Agency websites, or wasmoke.blogspot.com.
The News Tribune
Isabela Lund is the Lead Breaking News Reporter at The News Tribune. She previously covered the greater Puyallup area as the East Pierce County Reporter. Before joining The News Tribune in February 2025, she served as the digital content manager at KDRV NewsWatch 12 in Medford, Oregon, and as a reporter for the Stanwood Camano News. She grew up in Kitsap County and graduated from Western Washington University in 2022 with a degree in journalism.