Children among most vulnerable to hazardous smoke conditions; Bend Parks and Rec cancels some outdoor programs

'When you're with kids, you really want to be on the safe side.'

(Update: Adding video, comments from day care director and outdoor camp owner)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Smoke blowing into the High Desert from the Bedrock Fire on the Willamette National Forest isn't expected to ease up until at least Wednesday, and that's having an impact on people's daily lives, as well as government and business operations.

Many sports camps and activities shut down for the day Monday because of the poor, even "hazardous" air quality readings.

The Bend Park and Rec District also is having lingering impacts, though Monday’s pool closures did not repeat Tuesday. The district says Apex soccer camps have been canceled for the week, while the Skyhawks Multisport Camp was moved to Cascade Middle School. Check here for updates.

Tuesday’s midday air quality readings from E::Space on the KTVZ Weather page showed some areas of the High Desert in the Unhealthy and Very Unhealthy Range, while others were faring a bit better, at Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or even Moderate air quality.

The smoky conditions also affect many businesses, in varied ways.

Breweries, for example. CO2 levels need to be just right to be able to bottle their beer, but they said the smoke made it impossible to bottle correctly.

Summer camps and day cares specifically are scrambling to make adjustments.

Children are considered vulnerable in smoky and hazardous air conditions because their lungs are still developing. School of Enrichment in Bend has been taking extra precautions, like adding air purifiers to classrooms.

"First thing I do when I get here is I let the teachers know that it's probably going to be an inside day. And we post on the board what the AQI is. We update it every hour so they know when we an go outside." said Marcee Zendejas, director of the school.

Around 11 a.m. Tuesday, the classroom whiteboard showed the AQI was 134. It did drop, compared to Monday's hazardous levels.

According to the Bend Park and Rec website, full-day and half-day programs will be moved indoors or canceled if the AQI is 151 to 200.

At Sawyer Park Tuesday, the outdoor creative writing camp "Write Now" continued after parents were asked to give their permission.

"I think sometimes you just, like, don't really know, like, what is dangerous about it," owner Claire Brislin said. "And also just not knowing different people's immune systems or their breathing, the respiratory stuff.  When you're with kids, you really want to be on the safe side."