Sandpoint, Idaho — Wildfire Smoke Forecast

Live PM_2.5 and 48-hour smoke-model outlook — updated Oct 14, 8:09PM PDT

Current air quality and forecast

Now · observedGood 6 µg/m³ NowCast median across 4 monitors in Northern Panhandle · range 1–8, highest at Sandpoint

Next 48 hoursGood 1–4 µg/m³ · 3 models

Forecast peak4 µg/m³Oct 15, 12:00PM · FireWork

No significant smoke is expected in the next 48 hours.

Air quality is good — ideal for outdoor activities.

Last 24 hours across Northern Panhandle & next 48 hours forecast

range across monitors

Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): ■ Good · ■ Moderate

Forecast

Next 6 hours

1–3 µg/m³

Peak around Oct 14, 10:00PM

Next 12 hours

1–3 µg/m³

Peak around Oct 14, 10:00PM

Next 24 hours

1–4 µg/m³

Peak around Oct 15, 12:00PM

Next 48 hours

1–4 µg/m³

Peak around Oct 15, 12:00PM

Next 24 hours — model comparison 3 models · 24-hour peak table

Model	Peak PM2.5	Peak around
HRRR-Smoke (NOAA, 3 km)	1 µg/m³	Oct 14, 10:00PM
FireWork (ECCC)	4 µg/m³	Oct 15, 12:00PM
FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky)	2 µg/m³	Oct 15, 5:00AM

Model values are for the nearest forecast grid cell to Sandpoint; FireSmoke, FireWork and HRRR are independent and often disagree — treat the highest available value as the cautious planning number.

Observations and NowCast are total PM_2.5 — wildfire smoke plus every other source — as regulatory monitors measure it, and FireWork models that same total. FireSmoke and HRRR-Smoke estimate the wildfire contribution only, so they read lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The optional map plume surfaces are likewise fires-only.

Sky vs. ground

Little smoke at the surface or overhead.

Sky right now

Clear sky

● At the ground · ● Overhead (if mixed down)

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; cloud cover is from the model, not observed

Nearby fires

100 mi radius

Within 100 mi, agencies report 1 Not contained · 2 Partially contained · 5 Mostly contained (70%+) · 1 Other.

Not contained1 fire

Parker Lake

41 mi away · 1,531 acres · 1% contained · reported 2026-10-08 · ID

distance measured to the incident point

Not contained

Partially contained2 fires

Silver

25 mi away · 2,593 acres · 30% contained · reported 2026-10-08 · ID

distance measured to the incident point

Partially contained

Upper Smith

45 mi away · 4,848 acres · 41% contained · reported 2026-10-08 · ID

distance measured to the incident point

Partially contained

Mostly contained (70%+)5 fires

Deer Creek

68 mi away · 1,099 acres · 100% contained · reported 2026-10-13 · MT

distance measured to the incident point

Mostly contained (70%+)

BRADEEN HILL

72 mi away · 4,417 acres · 100% contained · reported 2026-10-08 · WA

distance measured to the incident point

Mostly contained (70%+)

HUDSPETH

75 mi away · 6,726 acres · 100% contained · reported 2026-10-10 · WA

distance measured to the incident point

Mostly contained (70%+)

HILL LOOP

77 mi away · 127 acres · 100% contained · reported 2026-10-09 · WA

distance measured to the incident point

Mostly contained (70%+)

Modrite

82 mi away · 57,594 acres · 100% contained · reported 2026-10-13 · WA

distance measured to the incident point

Mostly contained (70%+)

Other status1 fire

Nugget Hill

87 mi away · 20 acres · reported 2026-10-15 · ID

distance measured to the incident point

Containment not reported

Proximity and wind direction do not prove that a fire caused smoke at this location. Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC); incident points and containment as reported by the responsible agencies.

Forecast track record here

29-day record · 3 nearby monitors

Model	Typical error	Tendency
FireWork	2.5 µg/m³	reads low 1.3
HRRR-Smoke	4.9 µg/m³	reads low 3.9
FireSmoke	5.9 µg/m³	reads low 2.7

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.

Monitors in Northern Panhandle

Sandpoint8 µg/m³ NowCast0.8 mi · Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Boundary County7 µg/m³ NowCast31 mi · Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Mt Hall4 µg/m³ NowCast44 mi · Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Porthill1 µg/m³ NowCast50 mi · Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

See the Idaho-wide forecast — every monitor, ranked →

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