Air quality advisory for parts of Southern, Central and Eastern Oregon [Aviso sobre la calidad del aire]
QUICK FACTS
Location: Baker, Deschutes, eastern Lane,
eastern Wheeler, Grant, Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur counties.
End
date: Until
further notice
Smoke
source: Fires
in Oregon
** Información en español **
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Friday, July 26, for the
following areas due to smoke from fires in Oregon:
- Baker County
- Deschutes County
- Eastern Lane County*
- Eastern Wheeler County
- Grant County
- Harney County
- Klamath County
- Lake County
- Malheur County
*The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency expects the air
quality advisory for Lane County to last until at least Saturday afternoon.
All other advisories are in effect until further notice. Smoke
experts will revisit forecasts on Monday and possibly update the advisories.
DEQ also expects intermittent smoke in eastern Douglas, Gilliam, Jackson, Josephine,
Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties due
to smoke from fires in Oregon.
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.
- 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: Antony Vorobyov, 503-887-9113, antony.vorobyov@deq.oregon.gov
- DEQ: Lauren Wirtis, 503-568-3295, lauren.wirtis@deq.oregon.gov
- Local and Tribal contacts
Durkee Fire seen from I-84. Photo from InciWeb.
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