DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 2330Z October 18, 2026
SMOKE: California… Fires in the northern Central Valley of California were observed producing a layer of light-to-heavy density smoke extending northward and southeastward. The fires in northwestern California remained active this evening, drifting light-to-moderate density smoke drifting eastward and southward. The Cooley Fire generated a light-to-heavy density smoke plume extending northeastward, merging with the smoke from the northern Central Valley. A layer of light-density smoke was observed along the coast of California, extending westward into the Pacific Ocean and southward towards Mexico. Pacific Northwest… Fires in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho produced individual smoke plumes of various densities. The smoke plumes generally drifted northwestward to northeastward. Southeastern CONUS... Fires were active across the Southeastern CONUS this evening. Individual smoke plumes ranging in various densities were observed generally drifting westward to southwestward. A broad layer of light-density smoke spanned much of the Southeastern U.S. before drifting into the northern Gulf of America. The smoke may also consist of remnant smoke from yesterday’s fires. Arkansas/Missouri… Fires in Arkansas and southeastern Missouri were observed producing light-to-heavy density smoke plumes moving westward. North Dakota… Fires in southeastern North Dakota produced individual light-to-heavy density smoke plumes moving southward. Saskatchewan/Manitoba… Fires in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba were observed producing individual light-to-moderate density smoke plumes drifting eastward. Mexico… Light-density smoke was observed along the western coast of Mexico before drifting across the Gulf of California and into the Pacific Ocean. 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