Tuesday, September 1, 2026

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z September 1, 2026

SMOKE:
Canada…
Despite significant cloud cover this evening, light-to-moderate density
smoke was observed over the Northwest Territories. The smoke moved
northeastward into Nunavut and southward into Alberta, Saskatchewan,
and Manitoba. Light-to-heavy density smoke from fires in the Pacific
Northwest of the United States drifted northward into southern British
Columbia and Alberta. Light-density smoke drifting northward from the
United States was observed over southern Ontario. A separate layer of
remnant smoke was also observed drifting southeastward over the Hudson
Bay, central Quebec, and New Brunswick.

U.S. Pacific Coast…
Wildfires across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana produced
moderate-to-heavy density smoke plumes throughout the Pacific Northwest
region. A layer of light-density smoke from these fires dispersed
locally before moving northward into Canada and southward into northern
Nevada. The Plaskett Fire in Monterey County, California was observed
producing localized moderate-to-heavy density smoke, with light-density
smoke dispersing northeastward within the state and southwestward into
the Pacific Ocean.

Central and Eastern CONUS…
Fires were active across central and southeastern CONUS this evening. The
fires produced multiple localized moderate-to-heavy density smoke plumes
in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama. Smoke from these fires contributed
to an area of light-to-moderate smoke. The moderate-density smoke layer
covered Texas to Nebraska along its western edge, and drifted eastward
over much of the southern and mid-Atlantic United States before drifting
over the Atlantic Ocean. A larger layer of light-density smoke spanned
from the Pacific coast of southern Mexico to southern Ontario, ultimately
drifting westward over the East Coast of the United States.

Mexico…
A layer of remnant light-density smoke from fires and industrial
activity was observed across the Gulf of America and Mexico. A layer
of light-density smoke was also observed over the Pacific Ocean off the
coast of Baja California and Baja California Sur.


Marrs


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

 


Unless otherwise indicated:
  • Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.
  • Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.
  • A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.
  • Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.