Clean air gone for the summer in Idaho?
With the onset of the thunderstorm season in parched southern Idaho, the clean air is probably gone for the summer. I took the photo below June 9this year. It is of the Lost River Range from Copper Basin.
It is very hazy today in Pocatello, Idaho today due to all the wildfires lightning ignited yesterday. Just got a call from Stanley — very smoky there too. You can check for air clarity by clicking on the web cams I have linked to. I notice today that a number of them show degraded air quality.
The air may not be this clear again until late September. The photo is a medium telephoto.
Photo copyright Ralph Maughan. Lost River Range. East Central Idaho. This is a telephoto shot taken from Copper Basin.
post 1294

Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
4 Responses to Clean air gone for the summer in Idaho?
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Recent Posts
- Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands January 18, 2021
- An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit January 5, 2021
- Ochoco Forest Deceptions For Logging January 3, 2021
- Scientists Critique BLM Tri-State Fuel Breaks Proposal December 29, 2020
- Critique of “Fire Suppression” Mythology December 24, 2020
Recent Comments
- Paul Griffin on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Mexican wolf killings expose a dark underbelly of western culture
- Beeline on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Rich on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on Does Cattle Grazing Preclude Large Blazes?
- Maggie Frazier on Does Cattle Grazing Preclude Large Blazes?
- Maggie Frazier on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Wolverine ESA Listing Effort Demonstrates Political Influence
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
Ralph,
I have never been more concerned about an environmental issue in my life. It is the aerosol spraying program that our goverment it doing (some call it “chemtrails” – not an accurate term). Maybe it is not big in Idaho yet, but I see it in almost every place I visit. If there are 4-5 planes at once laying them down, the whole sky will be a mess in an hour or two. Do these fine particles magically disappear? No! That’s why our visibility is so bad everywhere!! Please learn about this issue and contact your representatives. This is the biggest threat to our environment and your personal health.
You could be right on the money Ralph, I talked to a guy that works fires for the Payette Nat’l this AM — he said they have at least 15 “spots” going on the West side after the lightning on Thurs.
Going to be a long hot summer.
Layton
19 fires just started on the Bitterroot from lightning.
Ouch. Looks like the entire area could use some relief from the heat, and some rain.
Yes, we’ve had some record heat in Montana. Supposedly it hit 107 yesterday in Missoula. Since I don’t use AC in my apartment, I can certainly believe it.