DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1500Z August 30, 2026
SMOKE: Canada… Despite significant cloud cover this morning, fires were observed burning in the Northwest Territories, where they produced localized moderate-to-heavy density smoke. A layer of moderate density smoke spread northeastward from fires in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, drifting across British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan before moving southeast into Manitoba and western Ontario. Light-density smoke was observed over much of Canada, drifting eastward into Greenland and southward to join with light-density smoke over the United States. A layer of remnant moderate-density smoke was also observed mixing with the broader layer of light smoke before moving eastward across the Davis Strait into Greenland. United States… Wildfires across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana generated individual moderate-to-heavy density smoke plumes that generally drifted eastward. These plumes contributed to a layer of moderate-density smoke that drifted northeastward over Idaho and Montana, then into Canada. The Plaskett Fire in Monterey County, California was observed producing moderate-to-heavy density smoke moving northward into the Central Valley, northeastward into southern Nevada, and southeastward into the Pacific Ocean. A large layer of light-density smoke covered much of the United States, drifting westward over the Pacific Ocean, northward into Canada, and southward the Gulf of America and Mexico. Mexico… A layer of remnant light-density smoke from fires and industrial activity was observed across the Gulf of America and Mexico. The smoke eventually drifted westward and offshore into the Pacific Ocean. A layer of remnant moderate-density smoke was also observed along the coastline of Baja California moving westward into the Pacific Ocean, mixing with the broader layer of light smoke in the region. Cuba… A fire in eastern Cuba was observed producing localized moderate-to-heavy density smoke and an extensive layer of light-density smoke drifting west-northwestward into the Caribbean Sea. GL THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE FIRE IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE: JPEG map: https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg Smoke data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Smoke_Polygons Fire data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Fire_Points ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO: SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov