The La Conner High School football team lost its season home opener on Saturday – not to non-league opponent Forks but to poor air quality.

The Braves' grid contest at Whittaker Field was nixed due to thick, stifling wildfire smoke that began hovering in the La Conner area Friday and lingered through the weekend.

The Northwest Clean Air Agency Board issued a Stage 1 air quality burn ban for the Island, Skagit and Whatcom tri-county region Friday morning. That ban, separate from existing fire safety burns, was in response to increased fire dangers.

Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen, who serves on the NWCAA board of directors, said Friday that smoky air here was pushed by winds from wildfires ignited by lightning strikes in the North Cascades and elsewhere.

Winds carried in smoke from British Columbia and eastern Washington, compromising regional air quality on what was already forecast as a hot, dry weekend.

By Saturday afternoon, conditions had worsened with residents reporting seeing ash particles in the air. The haze-shrouded sun appeared as a brilliant reddish-orange ball overhead, an odd combination of beauty and repulsion, which some dubbed a "Sci-Fi" look.

A NWCAA statement Saturday stressed that people can inhale tiny smoke particles deeply into their lungs, causing damage to delicate tissue and capable of triggering asthma attacks, making breathing more difficult and aggravating heart and respiratory problems.

Wildfire smoke can be especially harmful for children, people aged 65 and older and those with pre-existing health conditions.

La Conner Schools responded with a Saturday morning announcement posted on social media, posting. "Due to the fires and smoke in Skagit County, today's La Conner home football game is canceled."

The Slider Café on Morris Street made changes, too, reducing its weekend hours, closing on Saturday and making patio seating available Sunday upon request.

Sarah Walls

Air quality began improving Sunday afternoon. With winds sweeping out wildfire smoke and improved air quality, Monday morning NWCAA ended its Stage 1 air quality burn ban for Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties. Skagit County's fire safety burn ban remains in place.

As for La Conner football, the Braves are scheduled to play at Friday Harbor Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. barring another round of air quality issues.