Wildfire smoke

See where the smoke is going.

When a fire is burning two states away, what you need to know is whether the smoke reaches you, and when it clears. Forecast Bar plays NOAA's smoke forecast on the map and charts PM2.5 for your location, hour by hour.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free to download; live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; Mac plans do not. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS.

18 hoursOf smoke forecast, at most
12 hoursOf smoke behind you
HourlyPM2.5 forecast for your location
Lower 48Contiguous US coverage
The Wildfire Smoke layer at 11 PM with brown and purple plumes over the Pacific Northwest and southern British Columbia, and clear air across most of the West Air Quality for Spokane, WA: an hourly PM2.5 AQI bar chart for Thursday in green, yellow and orange, peaking at 114 at 3 PM, above a tile reading 16 to 114, Sensitive Air Quality for New York: an AQI of 24, Good, on a color scale, above the PM2.5 forecast chart and readings for CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5 and SO2

New in Forecast Bar 11.9.

Hour-by-hour Wildfire Smoke arrives with version 11.9, which is on its way to the App Store. The Wildfire Smoke layer and the PM2.5 forecast are in the app today.

Wildfire smoke in Forecast Bar, in short

Smoke map
The Wildfire Smoke layer shows near-surface smoke from NOAA's HRRR model, and clean air stays clear.
Time range
Wildfire Smoke plays hour by hour, from 12 hours ago to as much as 18 hours ahead.
PM2.5 forecast
NOAA's hourly PM2.5 guidance appears on the Air Quality data point, up to 48 hours ahead, as approximate AQI using the 2024 US EPA breakpoints.
Fires
The Fire Perimeters overlay draws reported fire boundaries. It is not an evacuation map.
Alerts
National Weather Service Air Quality Alerts arrive as weather alerts. Forecast Bar has no alert for an AQI level you set yourself.
Coverage
The Wildfire Smoke layer and the PM2.5 forecast cover the contiguous US.
Platforms
Wildfire Smoke is on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It is not on Apple TV.
Plan
Wildfire Smoke, Fire Perimeters and Air Quality are part of Gold on iPhone and iPad, and Pro on the Mac.
The Wildfire Smoke layer at 11 PM with brown and purple plumes over the Pacific Northwest and southern British Columbia, and clear air across most of the West
On the map

Follow the plume, hour by hour.

Wildfire Smoke draws what NOAA's HRRR model expects near the ground, rather than smoke high overhead. Play it forward to see which way the plume is heading, or scroll back to see where it came from.

  • 12 hours back to as much as 18 hours ahead
  • A legend from Low through Moderate and Heavy to Dense
  • Clean air stays clear, so the map only marks smoke
  • Turn on Fire Perimeters to see reported fire boundaries with it
Air Quality for Spokane, WA: an hourly PM2.5 AQI bar chart for Thursday in green, yellow and orange, peaking at 114 at 3 PM, above a tile reading 16 to 114, Sensitive
For your location

When will the air clear?

The Air Quality data point charts NOAA's hourly PM2.5 forecast, so you can pick the best hours for a run or decide when to close the windows. Each hour is shown as approximate AQI.

  • Up to 48 hours of hourly values
  • A peak label for the day you're viewing
  • Move between days, or scrub the chart to compare hours
Air Quality for New York: an AQI of 24, Good, on a color scale, above the PM2.5 forecast chart and readings for CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5 and SO2
Right now

Check the reading before you head out.

Smoke forecasts can miss a sudden spike, so the current reading sits right above the forecast, with the numbers behind it. For the wider picture, see air quality and pollen.

  • Current AQI with its category
  • CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5 and SO2 readings
  • National Weather Service Air Quality Alerts arrive as weather alerts

An honest note: this is a guide, not an evacuation tool.

Fire Perimeters shows reported fire boundaries, and they may be outdated or incomplete. They are not evacuation areas, so follow your local emergency services for those.

The Wildfire Smoke layer and the PM2.5 forecast cover the contiguous US, and Forecast Bar has no alert for an AQI level you set yourself. Smoke forecasts can miss sudden spikes, so check the current reading too.

FAQ

Questions about wildfire smoke

Does Forecast Bar have a wildfire smoke map?
Yes. The Wildfire Smoke layer shows near-surface smoke from NOAA's HRRR model on the radar map, across the contiguous US, on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
How far ahead does the smoke forecast go?
In Forecast Bar 11.9, Wildfire Smoke plays from 12 hours ago to as much as 18 hours ahead. The PM2.5 forecast for your location reaches up to 48 hours.
Can I see active fires on the map?
Yes. Turn on the Fire Perimeters overlay to see reported fire boundaries. They may be outdated or incomplete, and they are not evacuation areas.
Will Forecast Bar warn me when the air gets bad?
You'll get National Weather Service Air Quality Alerts, which arrive as weather alerts on Silver and up (Plus on the Mac). Forecast Bar doesn't have an alert for an AQI level you set yourself, so keep an eye on the hourly PM2.5 forecast too.
Does the smoke map work outside the US?
No. The Wildfire Smoke layer and the PM2.5 forecast cover the contiguous US. The current air quality reading is broader, though it depends on the data available for your location.
How much does Forecast Bar cost?
Forecast Bar is free to download, and live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription starts with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, so you can try everything your plan includes before you're charged. Mac plans do not include a trial. In the US App Store, iPhone and iPad are $11.49 a year for Silver and $19.99 a year for Gold, and Mac is $9.99 a year for Plus or $19.99 a year for Pro. Prices vary by region, so the App Store shows what you will actually pay. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS. See Compare Plans for what each tier includes.
Forecast Bar app icon

Know when to close the windows.

Try Wildfire Smoke and the PM2.5 forecast free for 7 days with a new Gold subscription on iPhone or iPad.

Download on theApp Store Download on theMac App Store

Free to download; live weather requires a subscription. On iPhone and iPad, every subscription includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; Mac plans do not. Mac and iOS plans are separate; Apple TV is included with Forecast Bar Gold on iOS.

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