Where Is the Wildfire Smoke In NCW Coming From?

I woke up this morning and saw the faraway foothills draped with a thin cover of wildfire smoke. Throughout the day, it's gotten worse.

Smoke from Western Washington has made its way across the Cascades

When I got home, I opened my laptop and discovered that the smoke flowing over Wenatchee was originating from the Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman on the Olympic Peninsula.

Smoke from this fire has been the primary source of the residual smoke we saw in the Wenatchee Valley on Wednesday.

Where is the Bear Gulch Fire?

The Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman has grown to 8,257 acres and is only 3% contained as of 4:10 pm Wednesday.

Where can I look on the internet to see where wildfire smoke is coming from?

A few years ago, I discovered a Canadian website that not only shows you where wildfire smoke is coming from, but also how the smoke forecast will affect you in the coming days. It comes from the BC Wildfire Service.

Here's how you can turn on the Smoke Forecast Map from the BC Wildfire Service

1) Click on this helpful wildfire smoke map and bookmark it.

2) The smoke map automatically pops up.

3) Next, select the Smoke Forecast button. You'll see the map come to life, showing where current wind conditions are directing wildfire smoke and where the smoke is forecasted to travel in the coming days.

NOTE: Since it's a service of the BC Wildfire Service, it doesn't give any information on fires here in the US, but it does show where the smoke flows from any wildfires north and south of the border.

Where can I find current information about wildfires in Washington?

The Watch Duty app for any device.

The Washington DNR fire dashboard is active throughout the fire season and shows up-to-date information on wildfires affecting Washington state.

View a full-screen version of the DNR fire dashboard with this link.