Boise, Idaho — Wildfire Smoke Forecast

Live PM2.5 and 48-hour smoke-model outlook — updated Aug 06, 10:44AM MDT

Current air quality

23 µg/m³ measured at White Pine, 5 km away, at Aug 06, 10:00AM. The NowCast smoke average is 22 µg/m³ — Moderate on the US EPA scale.

Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.

Forecasts show smoke increasing, peaking near 91 µg/m³ within the next 48 hours.

Smoke is expected to arrive around Aug 06, 4:00PM.

Last 24 hours observed & next 48 hours forecast

99490now-24 h+24 h+48 hµg/m³

Observed · FireSmoke · FireWork · HRRR

Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): Good · Moderate · Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups · Unhealthy

Next 24 hours — model comparison

Next 6 hours
17–45 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 06, 5:00PM
Next 12 hours
17–91 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 06, 7:00PM
Next 24 hours
17–91 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 06, 7:00PM
Next 48 hours
17–91 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 06, 7:00PM
ModelPeak PM2.5Peak around
HRRR-Smoke (NOAA, 3 km)37 µg/m³Aug 06, 5:00PM
FireWork (ECCC)91 µg/m³Aug 06, 7:00PM
FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky)17 µg/m³Aug 06, 3:00PM

Model values are for the ~10 km grid cell nearest Boise; the two models are independent and often disagree — treat the higher value as the cautious planning number.

Observations and NowCast are total PM2.5 — wildfire smoke plus every other source — as regulatory monitors measure it, and FireWork models that same total. FireSmoke is a smoke-dispersion model: it estimates the wildfire contribution only, so it reads lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The map's optional plume layer is likewise fires-only.

Sky vs. ground

Smoke is at the surface and overhead.

Sky right now
Noticeable haze

At the ground · Overhead (if mixed down)

0125250+12:00PM6:00PM12:00AMµg/m³

Overhead smoke dims the sun but is not what you breathe. The dashed line shows the surface level if the whole column mixed through the boundary layer — a worst case, not a forecast · Data: NOAA HRRR-Smoke

Forecast track record here

1-day record · 4 nearby monitors

ModelTypical errorTendency
FireSmoke12.4 µg/m³reads low 6.6
FireWork14.5 µg/m³reads high 12.9

Mean absolute error and average tendency in µg/m³, from forecasts verified 0–6 hours ahead at monitors within 50 km. A short-range record, not a measure of how far ahead a model stays reliable. FireSmoke and HRRR model wildfire smoke only, so they read below the monitors whenever other sources of PM2.5 matter.

Nearest monitoring stations

Open the live chart for White Pine — hourly observations, NowCast and both model forecasts.