Smoke Forecast for Wednesday, August 26, 2026 8:30 AM

August 26 2026

Current Conditions

An Air Resource Advisor has been assigned to the Sand Creek and Bobcat Lakes Fires burning in the Pioneer Mountains of southwest Montana.

An Air Resource Advisor has been assigned to the smoke event across central and western Montana due to the massive wildfires in Oregon and Washington.

Tuesday afternoon, the most active fires burning in the state include the Camp Creek Fire, burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The fire expanded rapidly on Tuesday and the Camp Creek Fire has now burned over 7,200 acres. Southwesterly transport winds will send smoke into Choteau and Conrad on Wednesday. The Nature Grove Fire, burning in the Sapphire Mountains just southeast of Hamilton, was active again on Tuesday. It has now burned over 500 acres. A new wildfire started this week just south of the Nature Grove Fire. The Bear Gulch Fire was also active on Tuesday. Southwesterly transport winds will push smoke from these fires into communities like Phillipsburg and Deer Lodge on Wednesday. The Bobcat Lakes and Sand Creek Fires, burning in the Pioneer Mountains, showed increased activity on Tuesday. Transport winds will be out of the southwest on Wednesday. Expect these fires to send smoke into downstream communities like Wise River and Butte over the next 24-hours.

As of 8 AM, particulate levels in Libby, Columbia Falls, Thompson Falls, Frenchtown, Missoula, Hamilton, and Great Falls are moderate.

By Thursday afternoon, the Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS) smoke model shows areas of smoke covering much of the western half of the state from regional wildfires.

HRRR Smoke Model

Source: HRRR-smoke

Forecast

High pressure centered just east of Montana will produce another hot, breezy, and mostly dry day for the region. This should bring more active fire behavior and additional growth on emerging and established wildfires. Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible by the afternoon and evening. Some of the storms will be dry and bring the potential for new fire starts.

The ridge of high pressure weakens and shifts east on Thursday. Expect even more wind on Thursday with chances for showers and thunderstorms. The combination of unseasonably warm air, mainly dry weather, and gusty winds will produce elevated fire weather conditions once again. A cold front moves across the state on Friday, providing slightly cooler air. However, gusty winds and above average temperatures should maintain active fire weather conditions for the state.

A large trough off the Pacific coast swings inland this weekend. Impulses rotating around this trough will bring beneficial precipitation for the Treasure State between Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will cool significantly, with highs a few degrees below normal both days. The combination of clouds, cooler air, and precipitation should help moderate fire behavior and reduce 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.

Wednesday morning’s satellite image shows a mix of clouds and smoke around the state.

Western US Satellite

Source: NOAA

Current Wildfires

Incident Name	State	Location	Acres	Containment
Silver Fire	Idaho	Southeast side of Silver Dollar Peak near Roman Nose.	250	0%
Moose Mountain	Idaho	Approximately 4 miles north of Kelly Forks Camp Ground	4591	8%
Upper Smith Fire	Idaho	Six miles West of Porthill, Idaho	4552	36%
Selway Wilderness Fires	Idaho	22 miles East of Lowell, Idaho	4570	50%
Porcupine Fire	Idaho	Approximately 7 miles NE of Clark Fork, ID.	130	0%
Crooked	Idaho	14 miles northeast of Idaho City Idaho, along the north fork of the Boise River	3164	0%
Double Springs Fire	Idaho	31 miles Northwest of Mackay , ID	1779	18%
Little Weitas	Idaho	Approximately 19 miles East of Peirce, Idaho	650	NA
Tartar	Idaho	21 Miles NW of Weiser, ID	158027	98%
Chimney Fire	Idaho	9 miles northwest of Fairfield, ID	6521	80%
Duncan	Idaho	50 Miles SW of Mountain Home, ID	16362	70%
Moose Fire	Montana	24 miles southwest of Philipsburg	5965	10%
Cherry Peak	Montana	11 Miles SE of Thompson Falls, MT	173	46%
Camp Creek Fire	Montana	Within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex 40 miles west of Augusta, Montana	7240	0%
Bobcat Lakes	Montana	12 miles east of Wisdom	10030	40%
Sand Creek	Montana	7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom, Montana	33088	14%
Nature Grove Fire	Montana	13 miles east of Hamilton south of Highway 38	300	0%
Deer Creek	Montana	18 Miles W of Marion, MT	969	0%
Skillet Fire	Montana	15 miles west of Olney, MT	3384	82%
North Fork Fire	Montana	10 miles southwest of Hamilton, MT, north of North Fork Lost Horse Creek	118	70%
Silvertip Fire	Montana	NA	6737	15%
Black Bear Fire	Montana	15 Miles E of Hamilton, MT	2126	22%
Ant Park	Montana	NA	NA	NA
Hagen Fire	Oregon	26 Miles East of Pendleton, OR	60146	33%
Paradise Fire	Oregon	15 miles south of Pendleton Oregon	8633	0%
Austin Fire	Oregon	25 Miles SE of Estacada, OR	7394	0%
McCully Fire	Oregon	22 miles southwest of Baker City, Oregon	4315	0%
Wrights Spring	Oregon	2 Miles W of Sprague River OR	55131	65%
Big Grass Fire	Oregon	Malheur County, Oregon and Owyhee County, Idaho	578637	93%
Rowe Creek Complex	Oregon	10 Miles S of Fossil, OR	373981	91%
Grasshopper Fire	Oregon	3 miles North of Sportmans Park, OR	93794	76%
Henry Fire	Oregon	5 Miles S of PAULINA GUARD STATION, OR	29844	97%
Coyote Fire	Oregon	5 miles south of Post, OR	17460	96%
Shingle Fire	Oregon	14 Miles SE of Mitchell, OR	73183	95%
Second Flat	Oregon	Six miles NE of Riley, OR	105854	99%
Jackass Butte	Oregon	40 Miles S of Burns, OR	24724	92%
Bald Mountain	Oregon	50 Miles SE of Burns, OR	76443	99%
Coleman Creek	Oregon	~1 mile southeast of Juntura	308863	99%
Picture Rock	Oregon	3 Miles N of Summer Lake, OR	1228	75%
Fielder Mountain	Oregon	1 mile west of Rogue River, OR	573	93%
Rosenbaum Fire	Oregon	10 Miles NW of Spray, OR	483	89%
Cottonwood Fire	Oregon	15 miles southwest of Long Creek, Oregon	722	95%
Little Bear	Oregon	8 Miles NE of Mt. Vernon, OR	67	95%
Bologna Fire	Oregon	7 miles northeast of Kimberly, OR	4509	95%
Castle	Oregon	23 Miles NE of Tiller, OR	3613	94%
Fox Fire	Oregon	12 Miles NE of Huntington, OR	78903	90%
Powder River Fire	Oregon	4 Miles SW of RICHLAND, OR	21088	96%
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%
Little Giant Fire	Washington	30 miles NW of Leavenworth, WA	147863	23%
Colwash	Washington	5 Miles W of Mabton, WA	39073	95%
Goat	Washington	15 Miles N of Ronald, WA	178	0%
King Fire	Washington	7 Miles NE of Snoqualmie Pass, WA	825	0%
Three Queens	Washington	6 Miles E of Snoqualmie Pass, WA	7285	13%
Grand Park 2 Fire	Washington	Seven miles southwest of Snoquera, WA	168	78%
Kaiser Canyon	Washington	1 mile S of Nespelem, WA	138293	98%
Modrite Fire	Washington	17 Miles SW of Inchelium, WA	57594	98%
Backbone	Washington	7 miles northeast of Packwood, Washington	17	40%
Wonderland Complex	Washington	9 Miles SE of Snoquera, WA	354	0%
Luna Fire	Washington	10 Miles North of Newhalem, WA	4751	0%
Sinlahekin Fire	Washington	12 Miles W of Tonasket, WA	155491	56%
Border 2 Fire	Washington	20 Miles NE of Marblemount, WA	7467	41%
Ptarmigan Fire	Washington	20 Miles NW of Mazama, WA	24770	55%
High Lava Fire	Washington	11 Miles NW of Stabler, WA	1915	25%
Sisi Fire	Washington	10 miles northwest of Stehekin, WA	878	0%
Hill Loop	Washington	13 miles N of Kettle Falls, WA	127	72%
Reevas Basin	Washington	3 Miles SE of Tonasket, WA	233	80%
Mount Tom Creek Fire	Washington	Olympic National Park	69	75%
Hudspeth Fire	Washington	3 miles northeast of Hunters, Washington	6726	96%
Bradeen Hill Fire	Washington	17 Miles SW of Colville, WA	4417	92%
Spokane Area Fires	Washington	Spokane County, Washington	9932	NA
Wells Road Fire	Washington	14 Miles NE of St John, WA	1865	78%
Skyo Fire	Washington	3 Miles SW of Packwood, WA	254	83%
Chelan Hills	Washington	1 Mile N of Orando	9735	75%

Source: InciWeb

Tags: smoke forecast