SPOKANE, Wash. — The air quality in Spokane remains in the "unhealthy" category on Tuesday, marking the fourth day in a row with poor air quality in the city.
Winds are bringing wildfire smoke currently banked against the Cascades into the Spokane area as shifting winds also bring additional smoke from the north, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Though conditions could begin to improve Tuesday afternoon, current models suggest the vast pool of smoke over the region could take a while to disperse. Depending on the shifting winds and ongoing wildfire activity, air quality may reach well into the unhealthy range through Tuesday.
In Idaho, the air quality in Coeur d'Alene is also in the "unhealthy" category, according to AirNow.
Unhealthy air quality means everyone may begin to experience health effects and members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. There are a handful of fires in the Inland Northwest creating a field of smoke. Some of the fires include the Cedar Creek and Cub Creek 2.
City of Spokane aquatic centers are closed for morning activities on Monday and Tuesday due to the poor air quality, according to the city's Parks and Recreation department. This comes after pools were also closed over the weekend. Pools that are closed today are A.M. Cannon, Comstock, Hillyard, Liberty, Shadle, and Witter Aquatic Centers.
Monday FunDay in Riverfront Park is also canceled due to the unhealthy air quality.
Spokane City Parks and Recreation tweeted that they would be canceling grading and gravel work at the Palisades Park and Camp Sekani parking lots. The work has been moved to next week due to poor air quality and heat.
Camp Reed also closed Monday and sent kids home in order to keep them safe during the bad air quality, according to their Facebook post. Camp Reed said that due to the pandemic, they do not have adequate indoor space to house all campers and maintain all the protocols of COVID safety for long extended periods. All families will be issued a full refund.
