Central OR & JDICC Wildfire Air Quality Summary
Report
Prepared by Andrea Holland, Air Resource Advisor
Air Quality Outlook
Yesterday afternoon
the South Fork Complex fire burned into heavy fuels producing a high smoke
column that was carried north by upper level winds into Morrow County. Smoke modeling indicates that the
source of elevated particulate levels in Baker was the Cougar Fire burning
south of Lewiston, ID.
Today and tomorrow,
an inversion will persist through late morning to early afternoon, holding in
any smoke accumulated over night in valley communities. Winds are expected to drive the South
Fork Complex fire into heavy unburned fuels producing significant smoke in
the mid to late afternoon both today and tomorrow. South to southeast winds will
push smoke towards Dayville, Mitchell, Paulina and possibly as far as
Prineville. John Day may see
moderate impacts from the Bald Sisters fire. Communities along the Deschutes River valley, especially Bend
and northwards, may experience hazy skies in the early evening for both
days.
Overnight, smoke
is expected to settle into valley communities near the fires such as
Dayville, John Day and Paulina.
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Site
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August 9
AQI
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August 10
AQI
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August 11
AQI
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Remarks
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Bend
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Good
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Good
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Good
|
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Burns
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Good
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Good
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Good
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Dayville
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No data
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Moderate
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Moderate
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Smokey off
and on through Sunday
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Madras
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Good
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Good
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Good
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John Day
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Good
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Moderate
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Moderate
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Smoke impacts
mostly over night and morning
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Paulina
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No data
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Moderate
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Moderate
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Smokey off and on through
Sunday
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Prineville
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Good
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Moderate
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Moderate
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Smoke impacts
expected late afternoon Sunday
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Seneca
|
Good (est)
|
Good
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Good
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Sisters
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Good
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Good
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Good
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Unity
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No data
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Good
|
Good
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PLEASE NOTE: The air
quality outlook is based on data from automated instruments that have not
been subjected to a quality assurance review to determine their accuracy. AQI’s estimated for sites with USFS
air monitors.
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Air Quality Index
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Potential Health Impacts
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Actions to Reduce Smoke
Exposure
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Good
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Air quality
is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk
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None
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Moderate
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Air quality
is acceptable for most. There
may be moderate health concern for a very small number of individuals.
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People with
heart or lung disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged or
heavy outdoor exertion. Everyone
else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
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Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups
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Members of
sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
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People with
heart or lung disease, children or older adults should reduce prolonged or
heavy outdoor exertion. Everyone
else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
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Unhealthy
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Everyone may
begin to experience health effects.
These effects may be more serious for sensitive people.
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The
following groups should avoid all physical outdoor activity: people with
heart or lung disease, children and older adults. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
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Very
Unhealthy
|
Triggers
a health alert meaning everyone may experience more serious health effects
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Everyone
should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease,
the elderly and children should remain indoors.
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Hazardous
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Triggers
health warnings of emergency conditions. Everyone is very likely to be affected by serious health
effects.
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The
following groups should remain indoors and keep activity levels low: people
with heart or lung disease, children and older adults. Everyone else should avoid prolonged
or heavy exertion.
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