High risk of thunderstorms sparking new fires this weekend

There is a high risk of new fire starts over the coming days — through the weekend into next week — as thunderstorms are once again forecast to dot the landscape of Washington starting late Friday night and lasting through Saturday.

Saturday is a Pinpoint Alert Day due to the risk of new fire starts, and the danger of lightning to anyone camping, hiking, or otherwise out-of-doors through the first half of the weekend.

However, air quality west of the Cascades has improved markedly through the week, and blue skies were more noticeable across Western Washington on Thursday.

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While high clouds will increase on Friday, and there could be some minor wildfire smoke aloft imported from Oregon, surface air quality readings should remain good to moderate west of the Cascades in the lowlands of Western Washington.

East of the Cascades, an Air Quality Alert remains in effect for Douglas, Chelan, and Okanogan Counties and some points east until further notice. Smoke from the Little Giant Fire continues to plague the Chelan area and some surrounding locations, and smoke from other fires remains troublesome as well.

In addition, gusty winds from Saturday’s thunderstorms, along with any new fires, could spread smoke to other areas of central and eastern Washington, where air quality hasn’t been as bad.

Unfortunately, the thunderstorms we’re forecasting likely won’t bring much wetting rainfall. In and near burn scars, use caution if rain is falling, because it doesn’t take much rain on a previously burned area to produce debris flows and possibly even flash flooding.