When exactly will the smoke clear in Tri-Cities? And will storms cause more fires

The end may be in sight for the worst of the smoke blanketing the Tri-Cities.

Significant clearing is expected to begin on Friday then with faster improvement on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

“It looks a lot better,” said Jim Smith, weather service meteorologist. “There is no smoke in the forecast at all beyond Saturday.”

However, the forecast could change, and air quality in the Tri-Cities is partly dependent on what fires are burning.

A storm system forecast to reach the Eastern Cascade Mountains on Thursday night and north central and western Oregon on Friday could bring lightning strikes that increase fire danger.

The Tri-Cities already saw some air quality improvement Thursday with a rating of “very unhealthy” for the second day, down from five days of hazardous ratings, according to the Washington state Department of Ecology.

Some apps that rely on less stringent federal air quality standards were reporting the air quality as unhealthy rather than very unhealthy on Thursday.

The National Weather Service is predicting winds to come from the west Sunday through Thursday.

Some of the smoke in the Tri-Cities has come from the Cold Springs fire burning north of the Tri-Cities near Omak, which is now 80% contained.

But most of the smoke came from fires in Western Oregon and Northern California.

With the improvement in air quality, Hanford nuclear reservation employees returned Thursday to work in Richland and to the site, but then were sent home early because of the smoky air. Some golf courses also have reopened.

However, Friday’s Market in the Parkway in Richland is canceled. And some private Tri-Cities schools that have started in-person instruction also remained closed with classes only online.

Until more smoke clears to a level no longer considered unhealthy for everyone, people should continue to stay inside, avoid strenuous activities even inside and keep doors and windows closed, say health officials.

Tips for irritated eyes

If eyes are irritated by the smoke, UW Medicine ophthamologist Michele Lee recommends running a humidifier and using an air filter.

Artificial tears may help. She advises using the more expensive artificial tear products that are free of preservatives if you use the drops more than four times a day.

Cooling the eye drops in fridge of freezer can help calm eye inflammation even more, she said.

She cautioned against drops that promise to reduce redness.

“These drops prevent blood flow and oxygen from reaching your eye and can make things worse,” she said.

This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 12:20 PM.