Smoke in Glacier?

**Likes to tow** · 07-11-2023, 05:32 AM

Have the wildfires burning in Canada impacted your visit to Glacier National Park? I'm aware of how wind direction can change things and also how wild fires in the West are very common. Since fires are burning out of control all across Canada I'm just wondering if we should postpone or cancel our trip West?

**Second Chance** · 07-11-2023, 06:59 AM

There is some information here (they appear to update it and there are webcams to view):

https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/natur...nformation.htm

Rob

**ajg617** · 07-11-2023, 07:15 AM

We start out for Glacier and Yellowstone end of month. The smoke in the northeast and down to NC has been very bad this year. Last year in Montana and Wyoming, smoke was bad as well - no clear skies and reduced visibility. Don't think there will be a year where wildfires are absent. Another interesting website:

https://fire.airnow.gov/

**Canyonlight** · 07-14-2023, 08:37 AM

Here is a link to the Natural Resources Canada interactive site where you can check boxes to fire information using current date or other dates.

https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/intera...year=2023#iMap

As with John and Robin, we are headed to Glacier the first week of August meeting up with our daughter, SIL, and grandson coming from a week in Banff. We are staying in Many Glacier at a site they got many months ago.

John and Robin - can Carol survive a week with no internet and electricity......oh my !

Dan

Dan

**ajg617** · 07-14-2023, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Canyonlight

Here is a link to the Natural Resources Canada interactive site where you can check boxes to fire information using current date or other dates.

https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/intera...year=2023#iMap

As with John and Robin, we are headed to Glacier the first week of August meeting up with our daughter, SIL, and grandson coming from a week in Banff. We are staying in Many Glacier at a site they got many months ago.

John and Robin - can Carol survive a week with no internet and electricity......oh my !

Dan

Dan

Dan & Carol,
NY newspapers are saying wind patterns are going to push smoke to the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Montana, possibly Nebraska from all the wildfires north. That's a very good link.
We are 3 nights at East Glacier KOA starting second week (taking our time and a circuitous route) and then 6 nights West Glacier.

Dan, hope Carol can survive - but no internet? Work-free zone and well deserved

John

**kalisoft** · 07-14-2023, 09:09 AM

We live outside of Glacier and just came back yesterday from camping in the park. Smoke is a little hazy, but not bad. Was much worse earlier this spring. Smoke is always unpredictable due to wind direction. One day clear, the next socked in. As we get closer to August, fires will get worse. Getting a lot of lighting storms lately so should spark some fires, but also getting a ton of rain, which should help. So far, not hearing a bad fire/smoke season yet.

**Canyonlight** · 07-14-2023, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by kalisoft

We live outside of Glacier and just came back yesterday from camping in the park. Smoke is a little hazy, but not bad. Was much worse earlier this spring. Smoke is always unpredictable due to wind direction. One day clear, the next socked in. As we get closer to August, fires will get worse. Getting a lot of lighting storms lately so should spark some fires, but also getting a ton of rain, which should help. So far, not hearing a bad fire/smoke season yet.

Appreciate the feedback ! Were you camping east or west side or ? Has one side of the park been better or worse for smoke and for projected winds/smoke in coming days/weeks ?

We suspected based on the very active Canada wildfire season that smoke was going to be part of our adventure. As with camping 101, best to have the best and plan for the worst.

Keep us posted if you would be so kind....much appreciated !

Dan

**kalisoft** · 07-14-2023, 10:50 AM

We were camped in West Glacier. No visible smoke or even smoky smell in camp. Just saw a haze across McDonald Lake, but certainly not too bad. I would not cancel trips on current smoke conditions, but it was definitely not the crystal clear air we would like. And things can change on a dime.

I really don't know if the East side is better or worse. It does have a different wind pattern due to the Rocky Mountain front. We got hit really bad from the Canadian fires in May, but has been better.

Smoke is a annual thing for us. July is usually OK. August gets worse. But we do not have a ban on outdoor fires yet. So the mountains must be getting some moisture.

**ajg617** · 07-14-2023, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by kalisoft

We live outside of Glacier and just came back yesterday from camping in the park. Smoke is a little hazy, but not bad. Was much worse earlier this spring. Smoke is always unpredictable due to wind direction. One day clear, the next socked in. As we get closer to August, fires will get worse. Getting a lot of lighting storms lately so should spark some fires, but also getting a ton of rain, which should help. So far, not hearing a bad fire/smoke season yet.

Yes - echoing Dan - thank you very much. We made it as far as Billings last year (early Sep) and never got to see the 'Big Sky'. Hopefully this year as we'll be in Montana and Wyoming for about a month.

**kalisoft** · 07-14-2023, 04:43 PM

Happy to help. Smoke is unpredictable at best. Valley gets socked in for a couple days, than totally clears out when wind changes. 3 summers ago we had no fires to speak of but the smoke from CA fires were so bad we could not see the mountains whatsoever.