Jasper, Alberta — Wildfire Smoke Forecast

Live PM2.5, AQHI and 48-hour smoke-model outlook · updated Aug 07, 10:28AM MDT

Current air quality

12 µg/m³ measured at Jasper, 1 km away, at Aug 07, 10:00AM. The NowCast smoke average is 10 µg/m³ — Moderate on the US EPA scale. Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index nearby is 3.

Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.

Forecasts show smoke increasing, peaking near 122 µg/m³ within the next 48 hours.

Smoke is expected to arrive around Aug 07, 5:00PM and clear by about Aug 08, 5:00PM.

AQHI — now & forecast (Environment Canada)

3Now
3Fri
5Fri night
6Sat
3Sat night

1–3 low · 4–6 moderate · 7–10 high · 10+ very high · Forecast squares are Environment Canada's official AQHI period maximums.

Last 24 hours observed & next 48 hours forecast

132660now-24 h+24 h+48 hµg/m³

Observed (hourly) · FireSmoke · FireWork

Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): Good · Moderate · Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups · Unhealthy · Very Unhealthy

Next 24 hours — model comparison

Next 6 hours
1–45 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 07, 5:00PM
Next 12 hours
3–122 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 07, 7:00PM
Next 24 hours
3–122 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 07, 7:00PM
Next 48 hours
3–122 µg/m³
Peak around Aug 07, 7:00PM
ModelPeak PM2.5Peak around
FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky)3 µg/m³Aug 07, 7:00PM
FireWork (ECCC)122 µg/m³Aug 07, 7:00PM

Model values are for the ~10 km grid cell nearest Jasper; the two models are independent and often disagree — treat the higher 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 is a smoke-dispersion model: it estimates the wildfire contribution only, so it reads lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The map's optional plume layer is likewise fires-only.

Sky vs. ground

Little smoke at the surface or overhead.

At the ground · Overhead (relative)

07114212:00PM6:00PM12:00AM6:00AM12:00PM6:00PM12:00AM6:00AMµg/m³

Overhead smoke dims the sun but is not what you breathe. The dashed line is the column total scaled to a typical mixed plume, so it is comparable in shape, not in units · Data: ECCC FireWork

Forecast track record here

20-day record · 1 nearby monitors

ModelTypical errorTendency
FireWork15.7 µg/m³reads low 14.2
FireSmoke23.2 µg/m³reads low 15.3

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.

Nearest monitoring stations

Open the live chart for Jasper — hourly observations, NowCast and both model forecasts.

See the Alberta-wide forecast — every monitor, ranked →

More in Alberta: Calgary · Edmonton · Red Deer · Lethbridge · Fort McMurray · Banff