Air quality advisory for Central and Southern Oregon

QUICK FACTS

Location: Western Crook, Deschutes, central and eastern Douglas, Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties.

End date: Varies by location

Smoke source: Fires in Oregon and Northern California

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Tuesday for Central and Southern Oregon due to smoke from fires in Oregon and Northern California. The length of the advisory varies by location.

The agency issued an air quality advisory for the following areas:

· Central and eastern Douglas County due to smoke from Tyee Ridge Complex through Tuesday evening.

· Western Crook, Deschutes and Jackson counties due to smoke from fires in Oregon and Northern California through Wednesday afternoon.

· Northern Deschutes, Josephine and Klamath counties due to smoke from fires in Oregon and Northern California through Thursday morning.

DEQ expects intermittent smoke in central and eastern Douglas, Harney and Lake counties on Tuesday and Wednesday. Air quality may improve during Tuesday evening but smoke is likely to return Wednesday morning.

Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, DEQ’s Air Quality Index, or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people.

Protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high:

Stay inside if possible. Keep windows and doors closed. If it’s too hot, run air conditioning on recirculate or consider moving to a cooler location.
Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems or portable air purifiers. Or create your own air purifying filter by following these instructions.
Be aware of smoke in your area and avoid places with the highest levels.
When air quality improves to moderate or healthy (yellow or green on the Air Quality Index), open windows and doors to air out homes and businesses.
If you have a breathing plan for a medical condition, be sure to follow it and keep any needed medications refilled.

Cloth, dust and surgical masks don’t protect from the harmful particles in smoke. N95 or P100 respirators approved by NIOSH may offer protection, but they must be properly selected and worn. Select a NIOSH-approved respirator with a N, R or P alongside the number 95, 99 or 100. Learn how to put on and use a respirator. Respirators won’t work for children as they don’t come in children’s sizes. People with heart or lung conditions should consult their health care provider before wearing a respirator.

Additional resources:

· Find a cleaner air space in your area: Visit 211info.org and search for “Wildfire Related Clean Air Shelters.” Or call 211 any time or day.

· Learn more about protecting your health during wildfires.

Media contacts:

· DEQ: Dylan Darling, 541-600-6119, dylan.darling@deq.oregon.gov

· Local and Tribal contacts

A fire in the Tyee Ridge Complex produces smoke in Douglas County on Aug. 24, 2023. Photo from InciWeb.

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