Smoke Forecast for Monday, August 31, 2026 9:30 AM

August 31 2026

Current Conditions

Clouds, cooler air, and precipitation helped to moderate fire behavior over the weekend. However, despite the weather pattern shift, there are still hotspots on several regional wildfires. Sunday afternoon, the most active wildfire burning in Montana was the Nature Grove Fire, burning in the Sapphire Mountains, just southeast of Hamilton. This fire has burned over 1,100 acres and will continue to send smoke to communities like Phillipsburg, Anaconda, and Deer Lodge through Monday. There are also a handful of active wildfires burning in central Idaho. Transport winds will remain out of the west on Monday. Communities up and down the Bitterroot Valley will see impacts from these fires again on Monday. Additionally, smoke from the Moose Mountain Fire will be transported into places like Frenchtown and Missoula over the next 24-hours. Something else to watch over the next 24-hours is the Bobcat Lakes Fire, burning in the Pioneer Mountains. On Sunday afternoon, it was starting to perk up, with hotspots showing up on the southeast side of the fire. The Bobcat Lakes Fire has burned nearly 11,000 acres so far.

As of 8 AM, particulate levels in Hamilton, Butte, and Great Falls are moderate.

By Tuesday afternoon, the Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS) smoke model shows areas of heavier surface smoke along the Montana/Idaho border due to regional wildfires.

HRRR Smoke Model

Source: HRRR-smoke

Forecast

Communities downstream of central Idaho will see the greatest impacts to air quality again on Monday. High pressure builds over the Northern Rockies between Monday and Tuesday. This will provide moderating temperatures, low humidity, and gusty afternoon winds. As a result, expect regional wildfires to continue to perk up, with increased smoke production likely.

On Wednesday, the ridge weakens and shifts east. A trough is expected to march across the state during this timeframe, providing showers and thunderstorms for the region. On Thursday, a much larger system is expected to move into the state. This will produce more widespread precipitation for the Treasure State, with strong southwesterly winds.

There is little model consistency from Friday into the weekend. However, there is increasing confidence in a broad trough remaining over the Pacific Northwest. This pattern should provide a southwesterly flow across Montana. It will also support near-normal temperatures and daily chances for showers and storms. The pattern should help to continue to moderate fire behavior on regional wildfires and reduce surface smoke across the state. 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.

Monday morning’s satellite image shows some smoke over southwest Montana and central Idaho from regional wildfires.

Satellite Imagery western US

Source: NOAA

Current Wildfires

Incident Name	State	Location	Acres	Containment
Silver Fire	Idaho	Southeast side of Silver Dollar Peak near Roman Nose.	2424	0%
Crooked	Idaho	14 miles northeast of Idaho City Idaho, along the north fork of the Boise River	8433	21%
Border Fire	Idaho	3 miles W of Porthill, ID	43	0%
Parker Lake Fire	Idaho	It is located in Long Creek Canyon 20 miles NW of Bonners Ferry, ID in the Kootenai River Valley.	1309	0%
Upper Smith Fire	Idaho	Six miles West of Porthill, Idaho	4701	42%
Moose Mountain	Idaho	Approximately 4 miles north of Kelly Forks Camp Ground	5486	8%
Dudley Fire	Idaho	Five miles north of Wallace Idaho	557	0%
Porcupine Fire	Idaho	Approximately 7 miles NE of Clark Fork, ID.	175	0%
Selway Wilderness Fires	Idaho	22 miles East of Lowell, Idaho	6800	50%
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%
Double Springs Fire	Idaho	31 miles Northwest of Mackay , ID	1779	35%
Moose Fire	Montana	24 miles southwest of Philipsburg	5983	12%
Sand Creek	Montana	7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom, Montana	34083	13%
Bobcat Lakes	Montana	12 miles east of Wisdom	10802	45%
Deer Creek	Montana	18 Miles W of Marion, MT	1099	96%
Silvertip Fire	Montana	NA	7247	15%
Camp Creek Fire	Montana	Within the Bob Marshall Wilderness 40 miles west of Augusta, Montana	9495	0%
Skillet Fire	Montana	15 miles west of Olney, MT	3409	82%
Nature Grove Fire	Montana	13 miles east of Hamilton south of Highway 38	1141	0%
North Fork Fire	Montana	10 miles southwest of Hamilton, MT, north of North Fork Lost Horse Creek	118	70%
Black Bear Fire	Montana	15 Miles E of Hamilton, MT	2126	22%
Austin Fire	Oregon	25 Miles SE of Estacada, OR	11682	0%
Rowe Creek Complex	Oregon	10 Miles S of Fossil, OR	373927	92%
Paradise Fire	Oregon	18 Miles E of Milton-Freewater, Oregon	9329	15%
Hagen Fire	Oregon	26 Miles East of Pendleton, OR	60970	45%
McCully Fire	Oregon	22 miles northwest of Baker City, Oregon	9934	2%
Wrights Spring	Oregon	2 Miles W of Sprague River OR	55134	90%
Grasshopper Fire	Oregon	14 miles SW of Dufur, OR	93953	83%
Big Grass Fire	Oregon	NA	NA	NA
Camp Creek Fire	Oregon	Zigzag Ranger District, 10 miles east of Sandy, OR	2055	62%
Horse Ridge Fire	Oregon	25 Miles East of Pendleton, OR	860	98%
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%
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%
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%
Sinlahekin Fire	Washington	12 Miles W of Tonasket, WA	166373	40%
Little Giant Fire	Washington	30 miles NW of Leavenworth, WA	163089	49%
Sisi Fire	Washington	10 miles northwest of Stehekin, WA	2099	0%
Grand Park 2 Fire	Washington	Seven miles southwest of Snoquera, WA	168	88%
Three Queens	Washington	6 Miles E of Snoqualmie Pass, WA	8742	5%
Backbone	Washington	7 miles northeast of Packwood, Washington	17	89%
High Lava	Washington	11 Miles NW of Stabler, WA	2894	30%
Electric Fire	Washington	7 Miles N of Marblemount, WA	500	0%
Luna Fire	Washington	10 Miles North of Newhalem, WA	5470	27%
Border 2 Fire	Washington	20 Miles NE of Marblemount, WA	7633	73%
Wonderland Complex	Washington	9 Miles SE of Snoquera, WA	339	0%
Goat	Washington	15 Miles N of Ronald, WA	668	0%
King Fire	Washington	7 Miles NE of Snoqualmie Pass, WA	2133	0%
Skyo Fire	Washington	3 Miles SW of Packwood, WA	254	99%
Hill Loop	Washington	13 miles N of Kettle Falls, WA	127	95%
Colwash	Washington	5 Miles W of Mabton, WA	39073	95%
Ptarmigan Fire	Washington	20 Miles NW of Mazama, WA	24770	55%
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%
Chelan Hills	Washington	NA	9861	95%

Source: InciWeb

Tags: smoke forecast