Air Quality Report # 12 for Southwest Oregon Issued:
August 19,
Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua
National Forests Smoke Synopsis:
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Yesterday: Early in the day, SW Oregon experienced elevated smoke levels
ranging from high moderate to Unhealthy. Air quality improved as wind
direction shifted and wind speeds increased. Burnouts continued at the Crescent,
Stouts Creek, and Collier Butte Fires contributing to impacts. Stagnant
conditions broke in the afternoon although areas downwind of fires continued
to be affected by smoke. Those areas not in the path of the smoke plumes
improved considerably.
Today: The passing of a dry cold
front scoured much of the smoke out of the valleys in Southwest Oregon. This
brought a general improvement to air quality. Winds will remain mostly
northwesterly. Locations directly downwind from fires will see continued
smoke impacts as the wind will move smoke across those areas. Burnouts
are planned on the Crescent Fire and Collier Butte fires if weather and fuel
conditions permit. Crater Lake NP
continues to be impacted by Crescent Fire due its proximity to the Crescent
Fire and predicted winds. Smoke conditions can be seen by viewing the NPS
webcams for air quality status. http://www.nps.gov/crla/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm
Tomorrow: Smoke
Impacts and associated air quality will be similar to today. Areas immediately downwind of fires will
be most affected by smoke.
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Prepared by Air Resource
Advisors: Gary Curcio (252-624-7635, gary.curcio@gmail.com), Janice
Peterson (206-484-4353, jlpeterson@fs.fed.us) and Michael
McGown (208-994-1316, mcgown.michael@epa.gov))
Air Quality Outlook:
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Location
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Yesterday
8/19/2015
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Today 8/20/2015
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Tomorrow
8/21/2015
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Comments
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Cave Junction
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Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
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Grants Pass
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Moderate
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
|
Klamath Falls
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Medford
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Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Provolt
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
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Shady Cove
|
USG
|
USG
|
USG
|
|
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Eagle Point 19
|
USG
|
USG
|
USG
|
|
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Jacksonville 215
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
Jacksonville station has been
shutdown, Modeled data only after today
|
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Ashland 84
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
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Tiller
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No Data
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Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Modeled data only
|
|
Prospect
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No Data
|
Moderate
|
USG
|
Modeled data only
|
|
Agness
|
No Data
|
Good
|
Good
|
Modeled data only
|
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Gold Beach
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No Data
|
Good
|
Good
|
Modeled
data only
|
|
Brookings
|
No Data
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
Modeled
data only
|
|
AQI
Category
(PM2.5 µg/m3) |
Potential
Health Impacts
|
Actions to
Protect Yourself
|
|
Good (0-12)
|
Little or
no health risk
|
None
|
|
Moderate (13-35)
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Air
quality is acceptable for most. There may be moderate health concern for a
small number of sensitive people.
|
Unusually
sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy outdoor
exertion.
|
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – USG (36-55)
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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 and older adults should reduce prolonged
or heavy outdoor exertion. Everyone
else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
|
|
Unhealthy (56-150)
|
Everyone
may begin to experience more serious health effects.
|
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.
|
|
Very Unhealthy
(151-250)
|
Triggers
a health alert, everyone may experience more serious health effects
|
Everyone should avoid any outdoor
exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children
should remain indoors.
|
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Hazardous (>250)
|
The
entire population is even more likely to be affected by serious health
effects.
|
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
|
Learn more
at: a) Oregon Smoke Blog http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
b) AirNow http://airnow.gov and http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_wildfires
c) Oregon
DEQ Air monitoring http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/index.aspx