SPOKANE, Wash. — As wildfire smoke blanketed the Inland Northwest, summer camps across the Spokane area scrambled to protect children from hazardous air quality by moving activities indoors and canceling outdoor programs.
The poor air quality prompted widespread disruptions to summer activities Thursday. All of Spokane’s city pools were closed, and numerous camps adjusted their schedules to keep children safe from smoke exposure.
At the Boys and Girls Club of Spokane County, an air quality index higher than 100 triggers the move of outdoor activities indoors. With more than 50 kids at day camp, the facility was forced to cancel Water Day—a popular activity featuring a slip and slide and water games.
“I know it’s definitely hard for the kids were all cooped up in in the building. They like going outside. So not being able to do that has been rough for most of our kids here,” said Annika Darlin, with the Boys and Girls Club of Spokane County.
Campers felt the disappointment of the cancellation. “We were supposed to be starting with Water Day. It’s a fun activity. We do where there’s a, like, a slip and slide. There’s pools of water guns. And as the weather just rolled in since yesterday, we just haven’t gotten the chance to do that,” said Braiden Conner, a camper at the Boys and Girls Club.
Parents have expressed concerns about the smoke and its impact on their children. “We’ve had the majority of parents come in, calling us about the smoke, and we just reassure you we’re going to do whatever we can to keep kids safe and stay in the building,” Darlin said.
The air quality crisis extended beyond day camps. Spokane’s public pools closed for the day, and Camp Reed, the YMCA’s overnight camp, ended a day early due to the hazardous conditions.
Both Spokane Parks and Recreation and the YMCA have established protocols for responding to poor air quality. They move activities indoors when the air quality index exceeds 150. On Thursday, the index reached double that threshold.
Camp organizers across the region are closely monitoring air quality conditions as unhealthy levels are expected to persist through the weekend. Parents can expect notifications about any additional schedule changes as decisions are made by camp leadership.
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