Brief update courtesy of San Juan County Fire Marshal Chad Kimple:

A layer of moderate wildfire fire smoke has settled over San Juan County overnight, Sept. 21. Local fire departments are investigating numerous calls to 911 reporting the smell of smoke.

While islanders should always err on the side of caution when it comes to reporting a possible fire, the Fire Marshal would like to highlight to residents that there is smoke in the air today from wildfires far from the islands. Any smoke should disperse tomorrow with the return of rain, and with especially heavy rain in the forecast for the mountains, hopefully wildfire season will come to a close before long.

If islanders see a distinct column of smoke, or otherwise witness clear signs of a fire locally, please don’t hesitate to contact 911, as always.