Rain, cooler temperatures, air quality change: Here’s what to expect next, Boise

After a weekend of nasty air caused by wildfire smoke blowing into Boise, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality lifted an air quality advisory on Tuesday afternoon for residents living in all of Southwest Idaho.

According to a DEQ press release, air quality Tuesday was at the moderate level and a burn ban was no longer in effect for most Idaho residents. Wednesday’s air quality was even better, in the “green” category, or good, for all of the southern part of the state.

“Air quality is acceptable,” the release stated Tuesday. “However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.”

This week’s change came after DEQ issued a warning Friday about “unhealthy” air quality, a result of surrounding wildfires. The air was so bad Friday that nearly all high school football games in Ada and Canyon counties were called off.

Weather has cooled across much of the state, but wildfires continue to pose a threat to Idaho’s forests. The Ross Fork Fire in Central Idaho and Four Corners Fire by Lake Cascade are nearest to the Treasure Valley, but smoke from those blazes is not coming this way.

The National Weather Service told the Idaho Statesman that Wednesday would be the warmest day of the week, with a high of 83. Temperatures then will cool, with Saturday’s high forecast to be only 72 and Sunday’s 65.

High temperatures on Thursday and Friday are expected to be in the upper 70s, with partly cloudy skies.

Does all of this mean no more smoke? The weather service said that can be hard to predict, but the cooler weather and slight chances of rain this weekend — around 20% on Saturday — should mean much better conditions, similar to what the area experienced Wednesday.