Smoke Forecast for Wednesday, August 12, 2026 9:30 AM

August 12 2026

Current Conditions

Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert for Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Granite, Madison, Missoula, Ravalli, Silver Bow counties in effect until 9AM on 08/13/2026.

An Air Resource Advisor has been assigned to the smoke event across central and western Montana due to local and regional wildfires.

Tuesday afternoon, the most active Montana wildfires continued burning in the Pioneer and Sapphire Mountains. The Bobcat Lakes Fire has burned more than 9,000 acres. The Sand Creek Fire experienced explosive growth on Tuesday. It has burned over 27,000 acres. These fires will continue to send smoke into adjacent communities over the next 24-hours. The Moose and Black Bear fires, burning in the Sapphire Mountains between Georgetown Lake and the Bitterroot Valley, exhibited active fire behavior again on Tuesday. The Moose Fire has burned over 5,500 acres. The Black Bear Fire has burned more than 2,100 acres. These fires will send smoke to communities like Helena. Despite numerous active wildfires burning in the state, the bulk of the surface smoke over Montana is the result of massive wildfires burning in Oregon and Washington.

As of 8 AM, particulate levels in Dillon are Unhealthy. Particulate levels in Frenchtown and Missoula are Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Particulate levels in Billings, Butte, Choteau, Columbia Falls, Cut Bank, Great Falls, Hamilton, Havre, Helena, Lewistown, Libby, Malta, Sleeping Giant, Thompson Falls and West Yellowstone are Moderate.

By Thursday afternoon, the Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS) smoke model shows less surface smoke over the state thanks to clouds, cooler air, and much-needed precipitation.

HRRR Smoke Model

Source: HRRR-smoke

Forecast

Despite the approaching trough, warm and breezy conditions are anticipated through Wednesday afternoon. This will once again bring elevated fire weather to the active blazes burning in the Sapphire and Pioneer Mountains. These fires will produce elevated surface smoke concentrations to communities downwind of them (see Air Quality Alert). Behind a cool front, transport winds will shift to the north by Wednesday evening. This should begin to push the surface smoke out of many interior western Montana counties, providing better air quality.

Precipitation chances increase for the region between Thursday and Friday morning. This is the window where many Montana communities will receive beneficial rain, with at least a half inch of precipitation possible. The combination of clouds, cooler air, and widespread precipitation should reduce fire activity and allow for improving air quality. For some communities, it will be the first substantial precipitation since mid-July.

Looking ahead to next week, a trough will sit and spin off the Pacific Northwest coast. This will keep Montana in a moist, active southwesterly flow. Thankfully, the pattern looks to shift away from the hot, dry, and windy weather we’ve endured for the last two weeks. Ultimately, this should bring less active fire weather and decreased smoke production on regional wildfires. Stay tuned!

Conditions can change quickly as weather could stimulate active fires and the likelihood of new starts increases. Please keep track of concentrations at todaysair.mtdeq.us or the Fire and Smoke Map.

Current Wildfires

Incident Name	State	Location	Acres	Containment
Tartar	Idaho	21 Miles NW of Weiser, ID	158027	93%
Moose Mountain	Idaho	Approximately 4 miles north of Kelly Forks Camp Ground	1708	7%
Upper Smith Fire	Idaho	Six miles West of Porthill, Idaho	3547	30%
Lake	Idaho	4 Miles SW of Secesh, ID	189	25%
Porcupine Fire	Idaho	NA	108	0%
Cascade	Idaho	22 miles East of Lowell, Idaho	3300	NA
Chimney Fire	Idaho	9 miles northwest of Fairfield, ID	6521	80%
Claremont Fire	Idaho	1 mile NE of Boise, Idaho	6606	90%
Duncan	Idaho	50 Miles SW of Mountain Home, ID	16362	70%
Double Springs Fire	Idaho	31 miles Northwest of Mackay , ID	1696	5%
Sand Creek	Montana	7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom, Montana	27576	0%
Bobcat Lakes	Montana	12 miles east of Wisdom	9245	0%
Moose Fire	Montana	24 miles southwest of Philipsburg	5524	0%
Skillet Fire	Montana	15 miles west of Olney, MT	3375	32%
Ant Park	Montana	NA	NA	NA
Silvertip Fire	Montana	NA	6501	NA
Butterfly Fire	Montana	12 miles East of Hamilton, MT	67	60%
North Fork Fire	Montana	10 miles southwest of Hamilton, MT, north of North Fork Lost Horse Creek	118	50%
Black Bear Fire	Montana	15 Miles E of Hamilton, MT	1970	10%
Rowe Creek Complex	Oregon	10 Miles S of Fossil, OR	373540	78%
Coleman Creek	Oregon	~1 mile southeast of Juntura	308721	90%
Bald Mountain	Oregon	50 Miles SE of Burns, OR	76160	93%
Jackass Butte	Oregon	40 Miles S of Burns, OR	24724	92%
Second Flat	Oregon	Six miles NE of Riley, OR	105501	90%
Fox Fire	Oregon	12 Miles NE of Huntington, OR	78903	87%
Powder River Fire	Oregon	4 Miles SW of RICHLAND, OR	21088	96%
Wrights Spring	Oregon	2 Miles W of Sprague River OR	52531	5%
Big Grass Fire	Oregon	Malheur County, Oregon and Owyhee County, Idaho	577361	36%
Castle	Oregon	23 Miles NE of Tiller, OR	3613	81%
Bologna Fire	Oregon	7 miles northeast of Kimberly, OR	3860	36%
Cottonwood Fire	Oregon	15 miles southwest of Long Creek, Oregon	722	71%
Grasshopper	Oregon	3 miles North of Sportmans Park, OR	77311	20%
Shingle Fire	Oregon	14 Miles SE of Mitchell, OR	73016	86%
Henry Fire	Oregon	5 Miles S of PAULINA GUARD STATION, OR	29850	97%
Coyote Fire	Oregon	5 miles south of Post, OR	17488	89%
Hagen Fire	Oregon	26 Miles East of Pendleton, OR	49638	11%
Paradise Fire	Oregon	15 miles south of Pendleton Oregon	3271	0%
Horse Ridge Fire	Oregon	25 Miles East of Pendleton, OR	860	98%
Burnt Creek Fire	Oregon	23 Miles N of Enterprise, OR	4169	87%
Bench	Oregon	4 miles south of Warm Springs, OR	67071	86%
Salmon Fire	Oregon	34 Miles SW of Baker City, OR	1433	88%
Akawa Butte Fire	Oregon	13 Miles NE of Sisters, OR	27491	99%
Hat Fire	Oregon	40 Miles East of Burns, OR	44122	99%
Hay Creek Complex	Oregon	Gilliam, Sherman and Wasco counties, Oregon	200292	97%
Anthony Fire	Oregon	34 miles north of Baker City, OR	2585	89%
Stubble	Oregon	15 Miles SW of Lawen, OR	15673	87%
Crater	Oregon	35 Miles S of Burns, OR	745	93%
Egypt Fire	Oregon	12 Miles N of Riley, OR	4595	68%
North Cayuse Fire	Oregon	15 miles east of Pendleton, OR.	4887	91%
Border 2 Fire	Washington	20 Miles NE of Marblemount, WA	13604	0%
Spokane Area Fires	Washington	Spokane County, Washington	9932	NA
Wells Road Fire	Washington	14 Miles NE of St John, WA	1865	78%
Kaiser Canyon	Washington	1 mile S of Nespelem, WA	138218	74%
Modrite Fire	Washington	17 Miles SW of Inchelium, WA	57788	62%
Sinlahekin Fire	Washington	12 Miles W of Tonasket, WA	150241	42%
Grand Park 2 Fire	Washington	Seven miles southwest of Snoquera, WA	223	0%
Three Queens	Washington	6 Miles E of Snoqualmie Pass, WA	3305	0%
Bradeen Hill Fire	Washington	17 Miles SW of Colville, WA	4419	74%
Hudspeth Fire	Washington	3 miles northeast of Hunters, Washington	6504	43%
Little Giant Fire	Washington	30 miles NW of Leavenworth, WA	122401	5%
High Lava Fire	Washington	11 Miles NW of Stabler, WA	1243	0%
Ptarmigan Fire	Washington	20 Miles NW of Mazama, WA	23745	8%
Luna Fire	Washington	10 Miles North of Newhalem, WA	3900	0%
Skyo Fire	Washington	3 Miles SW of Packwood, WA	254	83%
Mount Tom Creek Fire	Washington	Olympic National Park	69	75%
Chelan Hills	Washington	1 Mile N of Orando	9735	75%

Source: InciWeb

Tags: smoke forecast