Smoke is expected to arrive around Oct 15, 8:00AM and clear by about Oct 15, 1:00PM.
Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.
Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): ■ Good · ■ Moderate · ■ Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
| Model | Peak PM2.5 | Peak around |
|---|---|---|
| HRRR-Smoke (NOAA, 3 km) | 5 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 12:00PM |
| FireWork (ECCC) | 40 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 9:00AM |
| FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky) | 10 µg/m³ | Oct 15, 11:00AM |
Model values are for the nearest forecast grid cell to Birmingham; FireSmoke, FireWork and HRRR are independent and often disagree — treat the highest available value as the cautious planning number.
Observations and NowCast are total PM2.5 — wildfire smoke plus every other source — as regulatory monitors measure it, and FireWork models that same total. FireSmoke and HRRR-Smoke estimate the wildfire contribution only, so they read lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The optional map plume surfaces are likewise fires-only.
Little smoke at the surface or overhead.
● At the ground · ● Overhead (if mixed down)
Overhead smoke dims the sun but is not what you breathe. The dashed line shows the surface level if the whole column mixed through the boundary layer — a worst case, not a forecast · Data: NOAA HRRR-Smoke; cloud cover is from the model, not observed
Within 100 mi, agencies report 3 Mostly contained (70%+).
No not contained fires are reported in this state.
No partially contained fires are reported in this state.
Proximity and wind direction do not prove that a fire caused smoke at this location. Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC); incident points and containment as reported by the responsible agencies.
29-day record · 2 nearby monitors
| Model | Typical error | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| HRRR-Smoke | 7.8 µg/m³ | reads low 7.7 |
| FireSmoke | 8.3 µg/m³ | reads low 3.8 |
| FireWork | 8.3 µg/m³ | reads high 7.4 |
Mean absolute error and average tendency in µg/m³, from forecasts verified 0–6 hours ahead at monitors within 50 km. A short-range record, not a measure of how far ahead a model stays reliable. FireSmoke and HRRR model wildfire smoke only, so they read below the monitors whenever other sources of PM2.5 matter.
See the Alabama-wide forecast — every monitor, ranked →
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