WTA's New Map Layer Helps Plan Hikes in Wildfire and Smoke Season

We've entered into the thick of wildfire and smoke season, and the impacts are being felt across the state. As firefighting resources get stretched thinner and some of our communities cope with tragic losses, it's more critical than ever to plan responsibly to spend time on trails.

To help you get a better sense of conditions around the state, we've released a new air quality (AQI) forecast layer on our Hike Finder Map and mobile app. The new feature joins our wildfire layer and alerts in our Hiking Guide as tools to help you get a clearer picture of active fires and evolving closures around the state.

Back to fire season basics

When wildfire danger increases, conditions can change quickly. Existing fires can move fast, new fires start and smoke conditions shift. Besides planning for your hiking group's safety, it's important to remember that local communities around the state are also impacted. Planning your hike in a way that doesn't add additional burdens or pull responder resources is a way to help.

Hiking Guide alerts & map Layers to help you plan

We've added an AQI forecast overlay to our Hike Finder Map and mobile app. Adding AQI data has been something we know many hikers have been eager to see, and has been made possible, in part, with the help of some of our incredible volunteers and member support.

You can use the filter on the map to toggle on or off the wildfire and AQI views. Alerts about trail alerts, like the Chatter Creek closure of a number of trails in the Pasyaten area, will appear on the map, on individual hiking guide entries and in the app.

To see the new AQI layer, just toggle on the layer or select it from the mobile app list. It shows any areas with moderate (51-100) to hazardous (301-500) AQI to help you hone in on areas that you feel more comfortable hiking in, and you may want to check more local readings as your time on trail approaches.

We also have two other tools that can help you plan ahead: 

• The wildfire map layer, which also shows you where active wildfires are burning.
• We also update individual hikes with trail and trailhead closure alerts as soon as we learn about them.

It is incredibly important not to violate trail closures during wildfire season; it can endanger wildfire responders and divert resources from where they are needed most.

Planning during fire season means checking trails, roads to trails and keeping communities and wildfire responders in mind. Above: Firefighters use water to extinguish the Sourdough Fire along a closed section of State Route 20 on Aug. 16, 2023. Photo credit: Inciweb

Tips to plan, stay safe and report new fires

• When you plan, use the tools above and other resources to help you know where not to go
• Once you've got a sense of where you want to go, check and double check trip reports, trail conditions, wildfire danger and the smoke forecast up until you arrive at the trailhead.
• And when you've picked a trail, start to plan an escape route.
• Know what to do if you smell smoke or encounter a fire along the trail.
• And remember! Sometimes, the right choice is to just stay home. There will be plenty of hikes when the danger passes.

More Fire Safety links

• Wildfire season and campfire safety
• Escape routes and safety zones: Tips for hiking in wildfire season
• Washington Smoke Information
• To report a wildfire in Washington, call 800-562-6010.
• Follow the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Fire account at @waDNR_fire