The 2026 wildfire season was one of the smokiest on record for Washington state, according to an air quality review released by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The assessment found that most areas of the state experienced at least one day of air quality classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups (USG) or worse during the summer months — a threshold on the Air Quality Index (AQI) that prompts health agencies to advise at-risk populations to limit outdoor activity.

Hardest-Hit Regions

Coastal communities were largely spared the worst smoke impacts, benefiting from marine influence that helped flush out smoky air masses. However, interior and eastern Washington communities bore the brunt of the season:

  • Central and Northeast Washington observed the most prolonged and extreme smoke impacts, driven largely by their proximity to the season's largest fires — including fires in the Okanogan and Chelan County areas.
  • Chelan and Okanogan counties were among the hardest hit, with monitoring data showing record or near-record days of USG-or-worse air quality.
  • Several counties in Northeastern Washington experienced their highest smoke exposure in more than 20 years of air quality monitoring, according to Washington Ecology's analysis.

The department noted that while Eastern Washington regularly experiences some smoke impacts during summer, the 2026 season pushed multiple counties into historically unprecedented territory.

The Little Giant Fire and Chelan County

A significant contributor to smoke conditions in North Central Washington was the Little Giant Fire in Chelan County, whose smoke plumes were tracked across the region during peak burning periods. Fires burning through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest — including the Sisi Fire near Stehekin, which remains partially active — contributed to extended smoke episodes.

Health Implications

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that penetrates deep into the lungs and can trigger or worsen a range of respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. During peak smoke events, health departments across eastern Washington issued advisories urging:

  • People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, or other chronic conditions to stay indoors and keep windows closed.
  • Use of HEPA air purifiers in indoor spaces when possible.
  • Avoidance of strenuous outdoor activity during smoky periods.
  • Mask use (N95 or KN95) when outdoor exposure is unavoidable.

The cumulative health burden of a season with this level of smoke exposure is expected to be reflected in hospital admissions and healthcare utilization data in the coming months, as researchers and public health agencies assess longer-term impacts.

Looking Ahead: Prescribed Burn Season Begins

As the smoke from wildfires finally begins to clear with cooler, wetter fall weather, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is launching its fall prescribed burn season. Residents near planned burn areas are encouraged to sign up for notifications through the DNR's burn portal at burnportal.dnr.wa.gov, so they are alerted in advance when burns are planned nearby.

While prescribed burns are designed to minimize smoke impacts, they can still produce localized smoke — particularly in valley bottoms overnight when smoke tends to settle. Residents should close windows at night during any nearby prescribed burning activity and monitor the Washington Smoke Blog (wasmoke.blogspot.com) for air quality updates during burning operations.