Smoke from wildfires in Oregon billowed into the Boise area on Saturday.
smiller@idahostatesman.com
Smoke from ongoing wildfires in Central Oregon is affecting air quality in the Treasure Valley.
The air quality index in the Boise area on Saturday ranged from 80 to 130, making it hazardous for sensitive populations, according to the National Weather Service in Boise.
“If you go outside, the main thing to remember is to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and try to avoid areas with smoke where it’s foggy and you can’t see more than five miles,” said Jackson McFarlane, a meteorologist with the NWS. “This is a sign that the smoke is settling and remaining concentrated.
“The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality recommend staying inside if possible, keeping windows and doors closed, and then using air filters inside if you have access to them.”
The highest AQI readings in the Treasure Valley on Saturday were in Star, with some readings as high as 154, which is considered unhealthy for public health, McFarlane said.
The forecast high temperature in Boise on Saturday will be 100 degrees, with some areas near the Idaho-Oregon border likely to exceed that mark, according to the NWS.
The heat will continue through the weekend, with a high of 102 forecast on Monday, McFarlane said.
“We should be well above the 100-degree mark for daytime highs on Monday,” McFarlane said. “The chance of storms increases on Tuesday. So this hot, stormy monsoon pattern will continue throughout the week.”
This story was originally published July 18, 2026, 1:23 pm.