Wildfire smoke continues to degrade air quality across a five-county swath of north-central Idaho, prompting health advisories from state and tribal authorities through Friday morning.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Nez Perce Tribe jointly issued air quality alerts covering Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties. Air quality in the advisory zone is expected to reach the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” classification, while conditions on the Nez Perce Reservation are expected to range from “Moderate” to “Unhealthy.”
Who Should Take Precautions
Health officials urge residents with respiratory or cardiac conditions, older adults, children, and pregnant women to limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities during the advisory period. The measures remain in effect until 10 a.m. Friday, July 31.
Burn Restrictions in Effect
Open burning is prohibited throughout the advisory area. Neither the EPA nor the Nez Perce Tribe will approve burn permits while the advisory remains active.
Residents seeking current air quality readings can monitor conditions through the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality website. The advisory reflects ongoing wildfire activity in the region, which has affected smoke patterns and visibility across the Lewis-Clark Valley and surrounding communities.
This marks the latest in a series of air quality challenges facing Nez Perce County and neighboring areas during fire season. Earlier this month, the Army Corps of Engineers released cold water from Dworshak Dam to combat a July heat wave affecting the Clearwater and Snake rivers, demonstrating the interconnected environmental pressures facing the region during summer months.