Wildfire smoke continues to impact the Puget Sound area, and the air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups through the middle of next week. That’s according to a joint announcement Sunday from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the health departments of King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.

Air quality was defined as unhealthy for everyone across the region as of Sunday morning, but winds and light precipitation may lead to some improvement early Monday morning. A storm arriving later in the week should eventually clear most of the smoke, the announcement said.

Fire marshals in the four-county area of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties have issued fire safety burn bans prohibiting outdoor burning including recreational fires.

You can view the Washington Department of Ecology’s forecast map here.  “As has been the case since Friday, our best advice is to remain indoors and hunker down,” Ecology said on its smoke tracking website: wasmoke.blogspot.com.

When air is unhealthy, everyone should take precautions, especially infants, children, and people over 65, or those that are pregnant, have heart or lung diseases (such as asthma or COPD), respiratory infections, diabetes, stroke survivors, and those suffering from COVID-19.