Wildfire smoke again shrouds C.O. skies

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality advisory for communities in Southwest and Central Oregon, where smoke impacts are trending toward the unhealthy range for sensitive groups, especially in the Rogue Valley and Shady Cove.

Smoke impacts are expected to be moderate in communities in Bend, Prineville, Sisters, Redmond and Madras. However, there may be short-term periods of smoke in the unhealthy range for sensitive groups today and into Friday.

Conditions are expected to improve beginning Friday afternoon or evening and through the weekend.

Local smoke levels can rise and fall rapidly. Residents can view current air quality conditions at DEQ’s Air Quality Index https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map The index is also available on smart phones. Simply search for OregonAir in your app store.

Residents are also encouraged to use the 5-3-1 Visibility Index explained here: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/Pages/Wildfires-Visi…

The Oregon Smoke Blog also has an air quality map that includes temporary monitors close to specific fires, daily smoke forecasts for specific areas, and other resources. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for more information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/

The color-coded Air Quality Index ranks air quality as follows: Green is good. Yellow is moderate, which is unhealthy for extremely sensitive groups. Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with respiratory conditions. Red is unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy for all groups. Maroon is hazardous.

County health officials encourage residents to take the following precautions:
— Reduce time spent outdoors when smoke is present.
— Use an indoor high-efficiency air filter (HEPA) or electrostatic precipitator in your home to help create one or more rooms with cleaner air to breathe.
— Set your air conditioning or heating unit to recycle or recirculate when at home or in your car.
— Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
— Reduce other sources of indoor smoke and dust, including: burning cigarettes, candles, gas or propane ranges, wood burning stoves and furnaces, and vacuuming.
— Reduce the time you engage in vigorous outdoor activity.
— If you have heart or lung disease or respiratory illnesses such as asthma, follow your health care provider’s advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms.
— Consider maximizing time in air-conditioned homes or buildings during smoky periods or visit public, air-conditioned places such as libraries, community centers, senior centers, restaurants, and retailers for relief from smoke.

While residents can view current air quality conditions at http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/ , Oregon’s monitoring network does not capture air quality conditions in all communities. For this reason, it’s important for residents to gauge air quality conditions where they live and take appropriate actions to protect themselves. Using the 5-3-1 Visibility Index can help gauge air quality when a monitor for your area isn’t available.

View guidance from the Oregon Health Authority on children and outdoor activities during periods of poor air quality: https://apps.state.or.us/Forms/Served/le8815h.pdf