Smoke Forecast for Tuesday, August 4, 2026 9:30 AM
Current Conditions
Montana DEQ has issued an air quality alert for Beaverhead, Granite, Lake, Madison, Sanders, Mineral, Ravalli, Missoula, Powell, Deer Lodge, and Silver Bow counties. The alert expires at 9AM on 08/5/2026.
Despite cooler temperatures, multiple fires expanded on Monday across Montana and the Pacific Northwest.
Monday afternoon, the most active Montana wildfires were burning in the Pioneer Mountains. The Bobcat Lakes and Sand Creek Fires have each grown to over 1,000 acres. An incident meteorologist was ordered for the Bobcat Lakes Fire to provide additional support on that blaze. There are also several active fires burning on the Idaho side of the border in the Bitterroot Mountains. These fires will keep skies smoky over Ravalli and Beaverhead Counties through Wednesday.
At 9:00 AM Tuesday, particulate levels in Havre, Butte, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Lewistown, Sleeping Giant, Columbia Falls, Cut Bank, Dillon, Frenchtown, Libby, Missoula and Thompson Falls are Moderate.
By Wednesday afternoon, the Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS) smoke model shows moderate to heavy surface smoke covering several counties in western Montana.
Source: HRRR-smoke
Forecast
Wildfires in Washington and Oregon have been a bit less active over the last 24-hours and aren’t producing quite as much smoke over Montana. More than 2 million acres have already burned this year from wildfires in Oregon. Northerly transport winds should keep most of the heavy surface smoke south of Lincoln and Flathead Counties on Tuesday.
Expect a significant warm-up across the state through Friday. Warming temperatures, gusty afternoon winds, and low humidity will lead to more active fire behavior on regional wildfires. Models are hinting at increasing winds by Friday afternoon and evening. If this materializes, the area could experience critical fire weather conditions, including rapid spread on new and existing wildfires.
Forecast models are still hinting at monsoonal moisture impacting the Northern Rockies starting next week. If this verifies, any precipitation will ease fire behavior and limit smoke production on existing wildfires. This is still several days out, so confidence in any meaningful and widespread precipitation for the area is still low. 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.
Smoke remains visible across much of the state early Tuesday from regional wildfires.
Source: NOAA
| Incident Name | State | Location | Acres | Containment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Smith Fire | Idaho | Six miles West of Porthill, Idaho | 2305 | 40% |
| Cascade | Idaho | 22 miles East of Lowell, Idaho | 1500 | NA |
| Moose Mountain | Idaho | Approximately 4 miles north of Kelly Forks Camp Ground | 190 | NA |
| Tartar | Idaho | 21 Miles NW of Weiser, ID | 107856 | 13% |
| Porcupine Fire | Idaho | NA | 10 | 0% |
| 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% |
| Moose | Montana | 24 miles southwest of Philipsburg | 649 | 0% |
| Skillet Fire | Montana | 15 miles west of Olney, MT | 2494 | 0% |
| Ant Park | Montana | NA | NA | NA |
| Sand Creek | Montana | 7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom, Montana | 1000 | NA |
| Bobcat Lakes | Montana | 12 miles east of Wisdom | 1829 | 0% |
| Elder 1 Fire | Montana | 7 Miles west of Frenchtown, MT | 1234 | 52% |
| Silvertip Fire | Montana | NA | 6196 | NA |
| Black Bear Fire | Montana, United States | 15 Miles E of Hamilton, MT | 20 | NA |
| Butterfly Fire | Montana, United States | 12 miles East of Hamilton, MT | 50 | NA |
| North Fork Fire | Montana, United States | 10 miles southwest of Hamilton, MT, north of North Fork Lost Horse Creek | 116 | 0% |
| Hagen Fire | Oregon | 26 Miles East of Pendleton, OR | 39926 | 11% |
| Horse Ridge Fire | Oregon | 25 Miles East of Pendleton, OR | 860 | 98% |
| Paradise Fire | Oregon | 15 miles south of Pendleton Oregon | 1458 | NA |
| Second Flat | Oregon | Six miles NE of Riley, OR | 105462 | 55% |
| Hat Fire | Oregon | 40 Miles East of Burns, OR | 44122 | 99% |
| Jackass Butte | Oregon | 40 Miles S of Burns, OR | 24724 | 78% |
| Bald Mountain | Oregon | 50 Miles SE of Burns, OR | 78251 | 30% |
| 2026 Coleman Creek | Oregon | ~1 mile southeast of Juntura | 274635 | 23% |
| Grasshopper | Oregon | 3 miles North of Sportmans Park, OR | 34659 | 19% |
| Salmon Fire | Oregon | 34 Miles SW of Baker City, OR | 1426 | 79% |
| Castle | Oregon | 23 Miles NE of Tiller, OR | 2758 | 30% |
| Big Grass Fire | Oregon | 25 Miles CW of Jordan Valley, OR | 346757 | 25% |
| Rowe Creek Complex | Oregon | 10 Miles S of Fossil, OR | 323951 | 60% |
| Burnt Creek Fire | Oregon | 23 Miles N of Enterprise, OR | 4169 | 63% |
| Coyote Fire | Oregon | 5 miles south of Post, OR | 17488 | 89% |
| Henry Fire | Oregon | 5 Miles S of PAULINA GUARD STATION, OR | 29850 | 83% |
| Shingle Fire | Oregon | 14 Miles SE of Mitchell, OR | 70372 | 33% |
| Akawa Butte Fire | Oregon | 13 Miles NE of Sisters, OR | 27491 | 85% |
| Fox Fire | Oregon | 12 Miles NE of Huntington, OR | 78815 | 46% |
| Bob Creek Fire | Oregon | 1 mile north of Oxbow, OR | 851 | 72% |
| Powder River Fire | Oregon | 4 Miles SW of RICHLAND, OR | 21088 | 96% |
| Bench | Oregon | 4 miles south of Warm Springs, OR | 67238 | 84% |
| Bologna Fire | Oregon | 7 miles northeast of Kimberly, OR | 2425 | 96% |
| 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% |
| Kaiser Canyon | Washington | 1 mile S of Nespelem, WA | 136547 | 48% |
| Hudspeth Fire | Washington | 3 miles northeast of Hunters, Washington | 5771 | 0% |
| Spokane Area Fires | Washington | Spokane County, Washington | 10280 | 0% |
| Ptarmigan Fire | Washington | 25 Miles NW of Mazama, WA | 15952 | 0% |
| Border 2 Fire | Washington | 20 Miles NE of Marblemount, WA | 5102 | 0% |
| Bradeen Hill Fire | Washington | 17 Miles SW of Colville, WA | 4366 | 7% |
| Skyo Fire | Washington | 3 Miles SW of Packwood, WA | 254 | 69% |
| Sinlahekin Fire | Washington | 1 Miles W of Tonasket, WA | 102934 | 5% |
| Modrite Fire | Washington | 17 Miles SW of Inchelium, WA | 51142 | 16% |
| Little Giant Fire | Washington | 30 miles NW of Leavenworth, WA | 59346 | 0% |
| Mitre Rock Fire | Washington | Nineteen miles northwest of Davenport, WA. | 3872 | 0% |
| Luna Fire | Washington | 10 Miles north of Newhalem, WA | 1141 | 0% |
| Mount Tom Creek Fire | Washington | Olympic National Park | 69 | 75% |
| Chelan Hills | Washington | 1 Mile N of Orando | 9735 | 75% |
Tags: smoke forecast