Poor air quality in Portland will continue across the region as wildfire smoke lingers, and Spokane is expected to face very dangerous air quality on Monday. Washington governor Bob Ferguson was at a command center in Spokane on Sunday and told people in affected areas, "Please continue to stay vigilant if you're in those areas".
By 11 p.m. on Sunday, the Autumn Lane Fire in Spokane County was still zero percent contained. The Autumn Lane Fire, the Old Trails fire and the Fairview fires had grown to about 7,708 acres and had destroyed or damaged at least 600 structures, including homes.
Bob Ferguson in Spokane
Ferguson spoke from the command center as dense smoke spread across the region. The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized the use of federal funds on Sunday to battle several fires, adding federal help to a response already focused on the fires burning in Spokane County.
People in Spokane and other parts of the West are dealing with smoke at the same time extreme heat and drought are still pressing much of the region. More than two thirds of the West continue to experience drought conditions of varying intensity, while in Oregon more than half the state is facing severe drought conditions and roughly 20% is in extreme drought.
Oregon Smoke and Drought
Wildfires have burned more than 1.7 million acres in Oregon so far this season, and at least 32 uncontained large wildfires were burning there this weekend. In 2024, 1.93 million acres burned across Oregon. Fire weather conditions have greatly improved across the Pacific Northwest, but poor air quality will continue because the smoke is already in place.
Monday in Spokane
Very dangerous air quality is expected on Monday in Spokane because of widespread dense smoke. Extreme heat warnings remain in place for Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs, while heat advisories continue across much of California and into western Oregon. Denver could reach 100 degrees on Monday, and Albuquerque could reach 102 degrees.
For readers in Portland, the immediate practical issue is the same one facing Spokane: the smoke has not cleared, and the region is still carrying the burden from active fires, heat and drought. The next move is simple — keep track of local air quality and limit exposure when conditions worsen.
