Is Boise air quality getting worse? (house, live, beaches)

[Sawtooth]

This thread is mundane, why doesn't somebody start a thread titled: Is the Traffic in Boise getting worse?"

Of course the air quality on certain days of the year is going to get worse because of all of the growth going on. But the good air days far, far outnumber the bad air days.
After reading some of the posts it is obvious there is a lot of "bad reporting" going on, the kind of bad reporting where things are made out to be worse then they really are. The tone of some of the posts can make a person perceive that Boise has inversions all year long. The reason there is an inversion now is because of the cold winter like temperatures we have had.
Just because there is a minor inversion now doesn't mean that we are stuck in one all winter. Boise has inversions in the winter that last longer than I would like, but that is the consequence you live with when you decide to live in a city with a river(which creates fog) and have mountains which trap the air during some winter days. This cities worst inversion day is not anything like a moderately bad day in other cities.

[huntman58]

I know from living in Idaho and the Boise area the air can stink in the winter. Not too bad in the summer but the winters are just plan yuck for air quality! As the area grows it will only get worse. Now were I live (out of Idaho in another state) they have even started to report the air inversion of Boise and Spokane and how bad it is. Were I now live we also get an inversion but I can honestly say it dose not hurt my lungs here like it did in Boise

[Treecity]

I think most people from Idaho think Boise air is bad because this is Idaho and known for its clean air.
When people here gripe about the inversions I think to myself, "If you think Boise air is dirty and in an inversion a handful of times a year, try living in Salt Lake during any time of the year and dealing with their musty air, or the mix of smog and fog in Seattle or Portland which more often than not has a peculiar smell too"

A lot of people in Boise are getting used to the fact we are turning into a mid sized city and of course issues from that growth arise. I love Boise for the blue skies and mountain and desert air. The river also has a very nice smell which reminds me of being right in the mountains.

[huntman58]

Originally Posted by California Carl

Could it be worse than the air in the San Francisco Bay area? We have mild asthma and it flairs up around here often.

From living in both the Bay area and Boise Idaho I would with out reservation say o heck yes it is much much worse in the Boise area then the bay area by a wide margin. The bay area gets more weather changes in any time slot and thus it cleans out the air better. You can thank the costal breezes and fog for that. Breezes scrub the air and the fog attaches to the particulate and makes it to heave to stay a float. Is Boise the same can be true for the breezes but not the fog. In Idaho Boise area the fog acts like a cap and holds things in and dose not let them rise above the fog layer. This is why it can be clearer and warmer higher up in the mountains then the valley floor

[Anchorless]

So for the past 3 days I haven't been able to see the foothills from downtown Boise. This is mostly because of all of the fires in Idaho at the time, and the switch in wind direction, but my god the air has been horrible here for the entire summer.

ORANGE ALERT as valley air worsens | KTVB.COM | Boise, Idaho News, Weather, Sports, Video, Traffic & Events | IDAHO NEWS

I wonder how long until the EPA gets involved.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by Anchorless

So for the past 3 days I haven't been able to see the foothills from downtown Boise. This is mostly because of all of the fires in Idaho at the time, and the switch in wind direction, but my god the air has been horrible here for the entire summer.

ORANGE ALERT as valley air worsens | KTVB.COM | Boise, Idaho News, Weather, Sports, Video, Traffic & Events | IDAHO NEWS

I wonder how long until the EPA gets involved.

What is the EPA going to do? Ban forest fires
The current air problem has less to do with Boise, but rather the fact there are so many forest and range fires this year. Most areas and major cities in the West have had to deal with this issue this summer.
I friend of mine who works for the National Fire Agency here in Boise said that the current smoke is from fires in Washington and Oregon.
If I recall this morning the mountains and foothills were visible until the wind changed and blew the smoke in. I was in Salt Lake City last week on a business trip and you could not even see the city skyline or mountains from smoke caused by fires in their area. This is just something we have to deal with living in the mountain west area. The mountains can be our beautiful best friends, but also cause nasty smoke and smog to get trapped on occasion.

[Anchorless]

I understand all of that - but if Boise has so many poor air quality days, they get into serious trouble.

Lemme find out what sort of trouble that is....

[idahomama]

I would guess that this smoke is from fires in Idaho, not that it really matters anyway. I drove from Stanley to Boise this morning and the smoke in Lowman is unbelievable. Stanley is pretty bad too.

[DrummerBoy]

Fourth straight day of code orange level woodsmoke. No end in sight. July was officially hottest July EVER in Boise history. Guys, the heat and smoke (nice combo, huh?) are just gonna get worse as global warming escalates. Plus, the winter inversions are gonna worsen due to more and more cars from Boise getting Californicated.
This air today is worse than LA. Two seasons in Boise: hot or cold. You get about one week os Spring before the 90's begin. This weather blows. This town was once nice but is now polluted with smoke, carbon dioxide, Mormons and California yup scum. Se ya.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by DrummerBoy

Fourth straight day of code orange level woodsmoke. No end in sight. July was officially hottest July EVER in Boise history. Guys, the heat and smoke (nice combo, huh?) are just gonna get worse as global warming escalates. Plus, the winter inversions are gonna worsen due to more and more cars from Boise getting Californicated.
This air today is worse than LA. Two seasons in Boise: hot or cold. You get about one week os Spring before the 90's begin. This weather blows. This town was once nice but is now polluted with smoke, carbon dioxide, Mormons and California yup scum. Se ya.

I am not sure where you are during Spring and Fall, but they are wonderful seasons in Boise and even summer is until July and August when it is really hot, but you know what? we are not the only city in this country that gets hot in summer. Springs are wonderful, starting in March and lasting until the end of May into June--just wonderful. Fall is beautiful with clear days and crisp nights and starts in September and extends almost until Thanksgiving Day. Winter in Boise is not cold, I know that for a fact. Try living through a winter in the Northeast or Colorado.