Utah's air quality is being affected by wildfire smoke from western states

A clear haze of smoke will blanket much of the Wasatch Range by Wednesday morning, forecasters said, as wildfires continue to burn in eastern Utah and neighboring western states.

While northern Utah is largely affected, higher smoke concentrations are expected for the Wasatch Back.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the air quality index at Salt Lake City International Airport was 70, which is considered “moderate.” In Park City, Kamas and Heber City, the index ranged from 150 to 163 – a level considered “unhealthy” for most groups.

The Yellow Lake Fire – in eastern Wasatch County – is the primary culprit in the current air quality conditions, but smoke from more than a dozen wildfires in Oregon, Idaho and Nevada is also playing a role, said Jon Wilson, a meteorologist with the Weather Service's Salt Lake City National Office.

Wind direction is expected to change course by Wednesday, Wilson added, as models report a change to southwesterly winds that will last through Saturday, possibly longer.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Yellow Lake fire covered 19,903 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.

The service noted that while smoke inversion is settling into the Wasatch Valleys, it should not be considered increased fire activity.

For Utahns living along the Wasatch Range, Wilson suggested limiting outdoor exposure during the night and morning hours. The best times are the warmer parts of the day, he said.

But, Wilson warned, the projected smoke forecasts are solid “as long as there is no change in wildfire activity.”

“The one thing you can’t predict is where another wildfire will happen,” Wilson said. “So anything can happen in a very short space of time.”