MAP READING
How to read a wildfire smoke map
A useful wildfire smoke map answers where modeled smoke may be, when the pattern may change, and how uncertain the display is. Read the time first, then the legend, then the location sample.
Read guidePEOPLE-FIRST EXPLAINERS
Wildfire smoke guides
Twelve sourced explanations for reading smoke maps, separating modeled smoke from observed AQI, and planning with uncertainty.
FORECAST BASICS
What a wildfire smoke forecast can tell you
A wildfire smoke forecast estimates how emissions and weather may combine over the next two days. It is strongest as timing guidance and weakest as a guarantee of exact local concentration.
Read guideTIMING QUESTION
When will wildfire smoke clear?
Look for a consistent drop across consecutive model samples, not a single favorable hour. Smoke Window reports the first pair of three-hour samples below its planning threshold.
Read guideSOURCE CONTEXT
Where is wildfire smoke coming from?
A nearby incident is context, not proof of origin. Source assessment needs fire detections, observed plume information, transport evidence, and incident reporting together.
Read guideLONG-RANGE TRANSPORT
How Canadian wildfire smoke reaches the United States
Canadian wildfire smoke can cross the United States when winds carry elevated or near-surface plumes southward, but a current source claim needs more evidence than one model map.
Read guideMAP COMPARISON
Air-quality map vs. smoke map
An air-quality map summarizes observed pollutant conditions as AQI. A smoke map estimates smoke-specific mass through space and future time. They answer different questions.
Read guideFORECAST COMPARISON
Air-quality forecast vs. smoke forecast
An official air-quality forecast communicates expected AQI and health context. A smoke forecast models one contributor—fire-emitted particles—and is best used as transport and timing guidance.
Read guideMODEL GUIDE
NOAA HRRR-Smoke model explained
HRRR-Smoke couples frequent high-resolution weather forecasts with estimates of fire emissions to predict smoke transport across the contiguous United States.
Read guideCONCENTRATION
Understanding modeled smoke concentration
Modeled smoke concentration estimates smoke-specific particle mass in a volume of air. It is a model quantity with uncertainty, not a monitor reading or health category.
Read guideMODEL VS OBSERVATION
Modeled smoke vs. observed AQI
Modeled smoke predicts smoke-specific mass at a grid cell and future time. Observed AQI summarizes recent monitored pollutant conditions for a reporting area.
Read guideOUTDOOR PLANNING
Planning outdoor time around wildfire smoke
Use Smoke Window to compare timing, then check current official air-quality information before a walk, hike, run, practice, or other outdoor plan.
Read guideFORECAST CHANGES
Why wildfire smoke forecasts change
Smoke forecasts change because both fires and the atmosphere change—and because every new model run begins with newer observations and revised estimates.
Read guide