Blue Skies Are Here, But Just For a Few Days

Missoulians have had a few days of blue skies, but according to Montana Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Meteorologist Kristen Martin, the smoke will return.

"We finally have some good to moderate air quality across most of western Montana today after a cold front helped to push most of that smoke out and calm the fires down a bit. It does look like for the next day or two we should continue to see some fairly good air quality, perhaps moderate at times and then, as the week progresses, I think we'll start to see more of an impact from smoke."

That smoke will be rolling eastward as things heat up in other western states.

"I think it will be gradual it depends on what the fire activity does in the Selway-Bitteroot, in Idaho, and then we are starting to see a lot of activity in Washington and Oregon these last few days," Martin said. "Kind of as the week goes on we should start to see more hazy skies and more smoke impacts."

Missoula is expected catch smoke from a number of Montana fires like the Lolo Peak Fire, Sunrise Fire and Burdett fire as well as the 27,000 acre Diamond Creek Fire in Washington State.