See the numbers through the smoke: DEQ tracks how wildfire has worsened High Desert air quality in recent years

More 'unhealthy' air quality readings on the High Desert - and now, even 'hazardous'

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A look out the window or a walk through a park or neighborhood on many smoky summer days in recent years tell Central Oregonians what the latest data confirms: Those eye-watering conditions are becoming the "new summer normal" of sorts in the region and other areas of the state, as wildfires worsen.

Wildfire smoke continues to cause unhealthy air quality in communities across Oregon, with Southern and Central Oregon experiencing the most significant impacts, according to a newly updated report from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality .

The annual report, Wildfire Smoke Trends and the Air Quality Index tracks data from DEQ’s air monitoring stations and information from other state and national sources on wildfires. It shows the number of unhealthy air quality days in Oregon due to wildfire smoke continues to grow over time.

The DEQ noted that between 1989 and 2016, Bend had just 10 days on which air quality fell into the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” category, or worse. But over the past five years, there have been 58 such days, or nearly 10 a year. Bend also had air quality bad enough to hit the “Hazardous” category for the first time, in 2020 and 2021.

From 1987 to 2014, Bend had just three unhealthy days due to wildfire smoke. But since then, it's had 22 unhealthy days, five very unhealthy -- and seven with hazardous air quality.

Oakridge in Lane County had 37 “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” or “Hazardous” air quality days in 2022 — the most it’s ever had, and more than anywhere else in the state last year.

THE 2022 WILDFIRE SEASON

For 2022, key findings from the report include:
• Last year was not as smoky overall as other recent years in Oregon, but long-lasting fires still produced unhealthy to hazardous air quality in many communities through the end of October.
• In Central and Western Oregon, the Cedar Creek Fire east of Oakridge burned 127,000 acres between August and October, creating poor air quality in the Oakridge, Eugene, Springfield, Prineville and Bend areas.
• In southwestern Oregon, air quality was generally better than in previous years, but the area still experienced fluctuating smoke in August and September from two large fires: the Rum Creek Fire in Josephine County, which burned 21,000 acres, and the McKinney Fire in Northern California, which burned more than 60,000 acres.
• In northeastern Oregon, two large fires created smoky air from August through October: the Double Creek Fire near Enterprise burned over 171,000 acres, and the Sturgill Fire east of La Grande burned over 23,000 acres.
• The Portland metro area was impacted by smoke in October from the Nakia Creek Fire in Clark County, Wash. It was relatively small, burning about 2,000 acres, but its proximity caused several days of unhealthy air quality across the region.

PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE SEASON

The best way to protect yourself and your family from wildfire smoke is to stay indoors when air quality is poor and keep your indoor air as clean as possible. Here’s how to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season:
• Replace high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems.
• Get portable HEPA air purifiers (MERV 13 or above). Be sure to use the correct purifier for the room size. Or, create your own low-cost air purifying filter by following these instructions .
• Monitor air quality on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog ( En español ), 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.

“The Western U.S. is now experiencing longer wildfire seasons, which causes people living in Oregon to endure more smoky days with poor air quality,” said Tom Roick, DEQ’s Air Quality Monitoring Manager. “Therefore, everyone should keep watch on local air quality and take steps to protect ourselves, our families and our friends.”

NOTE: Recent technology updates to DEQ’s Air Quality Index means there is a NEW URL. Be sure to change your computer’s bookmark to https://aqi.oregon.gov/.

The Wildfire Smoke Trends and the Air Quality Report is produced each year by DEQ's Laboratory .

About The [Oregon Department of Environmental Quality](https://www.oregon.gov/deq/Pages/index.aspx)
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality protects human health and the environment by controlling air and water pollution, reducing the impacts of manufactured products and cleaning up contaminated properties. DEQ engages the public in decision-making and helps communities solve problems in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable.