Wildfire smoke is settling into Western Washington, bringing worsening air quality to 'unhealthy' levels in some areas.
Wildfire smoke is settling into Western Washington, bringing worsening air quality to 'unhealthy' levels in some areas.
In North Bend, the haze is obscuring views of Mount Si.
Quinlan McCabe said the smoke was noticeable in the sky. “Is it foggy out? Then I look at the sun, and it's like red. I was like, oh, well, there's smoke. There's the haze.”
The haze has also dulled the area’s typically beautiful scenery.
“Occasionally I get a whiff, and it smells like someone is grilling," Anthony Coustillac, who was visiting North Bend, said.
Health concerns are rising along with the smoke. Wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Vikki Satterlee, who lives in Cle Elum, described how it has felt. “I feel like the lungs are a little bit heavy. Eyes are kind of stingy.”
McKenzie Fish of Renton said smoke can be especially difficult for people with respiratory conditions. “My mom has asthma, so it can impact people who have things with their lungs and make it harder to breathe.”
Smoky air combined with rising temperatures can add extra stress to the body, and hot weather can increase the risk of dehydration and other heat-related illnesses.
Satterlee said the heat and smoke together can feel worse than either alone. “It just feels like it makes it worse just because of the hot air,” she said. “The way it makes you feel, just the combination almost seems like it's more intense.”
Some residents are trying to limit exposure by staying indoors, closing windows and using air filters or air conditioning if available. Satterlee said, “A lot of air conditioning, staying inside.”
Joe Presutto of Bel-Red Heating and Cooling said air conditioning can help reduce exposure to smoke particles, but noted that many homes in the region do not have it. “Unfortunately in the Pacific Northwest, not a lot of people have air conditioning. Air conditioning can help filter out some of the finer particles.”
For some, the haze is also a reminder of the broader impacts of wildfire season.
“My heart goes out to all the people that are losing their homes and having to evacuate. I think it’s horrible," Satterlee said.
