Wildfire smoke from Pacific Northwest prompts Bay Area air quality advisory

The Bay Area Air District issued an air quality advisory through Wednesday as smoke from wildfires burning in Washington, Idaho and Oregon is expected to drift into the region.

admin August 4, 2026 2 minutes read

The Bay Area Air District has issued an air quality advisory through Wednesday, Aug. 5 as smoke from large wildfires burning in the Pacific Northwest drifts into the region.

The smoke is coming from several large fires that have burned hundreds of square miles across Washington, Idaho and Oregon. In eastern Washington, wildfires near Spokane have forced about 60,000 people to evacuate and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures.

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The Air District said smoky or hazy skies and the smell of smoke are possible, and air quality could become unhealthy at times Tuesday and Wednesday.

The majority of the North Bay was well within healthy air quality limits Tuesday morning, but the district warned that conditions can change quickly, making it difficult to predict where the heaviest smoke will settle.

Health officials urged residents to limit smoke exposure by staying indoors with windows and doors closed when possible, using indoor air filtration if available and setting vehicle ventilation systems to recirculate air. Older adults, children and people with asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable to wildfire smoke.

The Air District said pollutant levels are not expected to exceed the federal 24-hour health standard, and no Spare the Air Alert has been issued. Residents can monitor local smoke conditions using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fire and Smoke Map.