We’ve been steering a lot of folks to the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality’s Air
Quality Index lately. The color-coded tool looks like this:
OK, sadly, this year it has had a lot more red dots representing
air quality in the unhealthy range. Anyway, here’s how you use the AQI: Simply
click on a dot on the map and it will tell you which station you’re viewing and what the most current air quality readings are. It will show one-hour and
24-hour readings for particulate
matter, the key ingredient in wildfire
smoke that can cause health effects.
A blog commenter recently asked which one to use so we
checked in with DEQ’s Air Quality Monitoring Section.
Here’s what they had to say:
The one-hour average is meant to assess immediate exposure
and the 24-hour average is meant to assess more long-term exposure at lower
levels. Both can affect your health, particularly if you have heart disease, an
ongoing lung condition including asthma, if you’re over age 65 or if you’re a
small child. You can use these
measurements for different purposes. For example, you can use the one-hour
average to watch for periods of improved air quality, when you can open up your
house and “air things out.” That way, you can start with cleaner air if heavy
smoke returns. If you are sensitive to smoke effects and are deciding whether
or not to work outside all day, you may want to use the 24-hour average, then
use the one-hour average to pick the best time to go out for any unavoidable
outside errands.
With the start of school around the corner, we know a lot of
you are looking at the forecast and trying to determine whether to hold
practices or games. The Oregon Health Authority has a great fact sheet you
should check out called Public Health Guidance
for School Activities during Wildfire Events.
If you have a question for us, leave a comment. We’ve
appreciated all the feedback this wildfire season.