Air quality advisory lifted for parts of Eastern Oregon, extended for northern Harney and northern Malheur counties

QUICK FACTS

Location: Northern Harney and northern Malheur counties

End date: Friday afternoon, July 19

Smoke source: Falls Fire

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality lifted an air quality advisory Tuesday, June 16, for Baker, Grant, Morrow, as well as Umatilla counties, due to improved smoke conditions and a favorable weather forecast.

An air quality advisory remains in effect for northern Harney and northern Malheur counties, in particular the Burns-Hines area, due to smoke from the Falls Fire. DEQ expects the air quality advisory to last until at least Friday.

DEQ also expects intermittent smoke in Umatilla County through Friday afternoon due to smoke from the Lone Rock Fire. Air quality may improve during the day, but smoke is likely to return overnight.

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: Antony Vorobyov, 503-887-9113, antony.vorobyov@deq.oregon.gov

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

· Local and Tribal contacts

Smoke from the Falls Fire rises Monday, July 15, near Highway 395. Photo from InciWeb.

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