WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Hazy skies from wildfire smoke are expected to persist throughout the week.
The Northwest Clean Air Agency has issued an air quality alert for Whatcom County from Deming eastward until further notice.
Air quality was moderate for Bellingham and most other cities around the county on Tuesday, Aug. 4, while the air farther east was deemed unhealthy.
The National Weather Service expects winds to keep pushing wildfire smoke from B.C. and eastern Washington into the county through Thursday, Aug. 6.
It also issued a heat advisory for Whatcom and Skagit counties from 10 a.m. Wednesday through Thursday evening, with highs expected to reach up to 90 degrees in some areas.
Forecasters say the increasing warm and dry conditions through Friday will lead to near-critical fire weather concerns over the Cascades.
On the bright side, the Washington state Department of Ecology says cleaner air from the Strait of Georgia has cleared out some of the smoke along and west of I-5 from Bellingham to Everett.
Editor’s Note: this story was edited to add details on the heat advisory in effect for Whatcom and Skagit counties. Last updated 8/4/26 4:33 p.m.
