Air quality alert in effect for parts of High Desert

With increasing smoke rolling into the region, Deschutes County is under an air quality alert from now through Wednesday at 11 a.m. In that span, the air quality will continue to fluctuate, with some areas in southern Deschutes County reaching unhealthy levels according to E::Space Labs' Air Quality Index.

Breezy northwesterly winds Monday evening were responsible for bringing the haze on the High Desert, and calmer winds Tuesday morning are responsible for keeping it there. Smoke is coming from three fires in particular - Bull Complex, Middle Fork Complex and the Jack Fire.

In the meantime, temperatures will stay in the 70s across Central Oregon through Thursday, with a slight warmup heading into the weekend. Even with that, though, forecast highs will stay below average through your extended forecast.