An air quality advisory (AQA) is a tool used by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to notify the public when air quality is, or is expected to be, degraded. AQAs provide specific information and advice to those with acute or chronic health problems and those that may be most susceptible to degraded air quality’s effects. DEQ uses data from monitors located throughout Idaho, weather forecasts, and expected emissions (such as wildfire or woodstove smoke) to forecast air quality and determine the need for an AQA.
When an AQA is in effect, all outdoor burning is prohibited. Outdoor burning includes recreational fires (such as campfires and firepits), weed control burning, residential burning (including burn barrels), burning orchard clippings on the property they were generated, prescribed fires, crop residue burns, landfill disposal site burning, and training fires by fire departments and land managers.
Current Air Quality Advisories in Effect
| Location | Today’s AQI Forecast | Date Issued | Next Update | Advisory Link |
| No active advisories at this time. | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Local Air Quality Advisories
DEQ also notifies the public when current or forecasted air quality triggers an AQA based on a local ordinance. Idaho has four regions with local ordinances related to air quality — the Portneuf Valley, Franklin County, the City of Sandpoint, and the Treasure Valley. If you have questions, it is always a good idea to contact your city or county government.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When issuing an air quality advisory, DEQ provides the following information:
- Date and time the advisory was issued
- Date and time of next expected update
- Affected area
- Pollutant causing the degraded air quality
- Reason for the degraded air quality
- Current air quality index and associated health messaging
- A 3-day air quality index forecast and the associated health messaging
- Which DEQ region issued the advisory
AQAs can occur throughout the year but predominately occur in the summer, when wildfire smoke impacts an area, and in the winter, when weather inversion conditions trap pollutants near ground level.
AQAs restrict all outdoor burning activity, such as prescribed fires, campfires, and residential burning.
You cannot use a backyard fire pit during an AQA. However, you can use your BBQ, as it is not considered outdoor burning. Accordion Content
You are not allowed to ignite any material after an AQA has been issued. If you have already ignited an outdoor burn, you must let your burn die out without adding any additional fuel. In rare instances, DEQ may require the burn to be completely extinguished.
