Alaska Airlines to temporarily suspend flights

By World Airline News

Alaska Airlines made this announcement:

Alaska Airlines began the temporary suspension of all flights to and from airports in Portland and Spokane starting at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, as the Pacific Northwest continues to battle intense wildfires and hazardous air quality. The flight suspensions are expected to last until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15.

Across the West, fires are creating thick smoke and haze, causing very poor air quality conditions in the Portland and Spokane areas. We made the difficult decision to stop our operation so that our employees and guests can remain safe.

Alaska Airlines, along with its regional carrier Horizon Air, has canceled dozens of flights in Portland and Spokane for that 24-hour period.

Alaska and Horizon have also canceled flights at smaller airports due to fire and smoke including Eugene, Medford and Redmond/Bend in Oregon, and Pasco and Walla Walla in Washington.

Improving weather conditions in the coming days could begin to dissipate smoke in Portland and Spokane. However, other airports in the West could be impacted by drifting smoke.

From NASA:

Winds of Change Move Western Smoke Into the Pacific