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Air quality advisory for parts of Central, Eastern and Southern Oregon

QUICK FACTS

Location: Eastern Douglas, Grant, northern Harney, northern Klamath, eastern Lane, northern Malheur, and eastern Wheeler counties

End date: Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 7

Smoke source: Fires in Oregon

** Información en español **

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency issued an air quality advisory Monday, Aug. 5, due to smoke from fires in Oregon.

The following areas are affected:

·        Eastern Douglas County

·        Grant County

·        Northern Harney County

·        Northern Klamath County

·        Eastern Lane County

·        Northern Malheur County

·        Eastern Wheeler County

The agencies expect the air quality advisory to last until at least Wednesday afternoon. DEQ and partner agencies will continue to monitor smoke in the area. 

DEQ expects intermittent smoke in Crook, Deschutes, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine and Lake counties.

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:

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

·       LRAPA: Travis Knudsen, 541-736-1056 ext. 217, travis@lrapa.org[DD1] 

·       Local and Tribal contacts

The Coffee Pot Fire burns near Oakridge at night on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Photo by InciWeb

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