LRAPA extends air quality advisory through Oct. 24

LANE COUNTY —  The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency has extended an air quality advisory for Lane County through Monday, Oct. 24, due to smoke from the Cedar Creek fire.

In Oakridge, air quality is likely to remain in “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “very unhealthy” on the Air Quality Index. Young children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung problems are especially vulnerable. The southern Willamette Valley, including Eugene and Springfield will see “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “moderate” air quality.

Forecasted rain will minimize smoke production by the Cedar Creek fire. However, the fire will continue to burn and smolder, resulting in reduced air quality at times—especially for locations closer to the fire, like Oakridge and Westfir.

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:

• Stay inside if possible. Keep windows and doors closed. If it’s too hot, run air conditioning on recirculate or consider moving to a cooler location.
• Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
• Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems or portable air purifiers. Or create your own air purifying filter by following these instructions.
• Be aware of smoke in your area and avoid places with the highest levels.
• When air quality improves to moderate or healthy (yellow or green on the Air Quality Index), open windows and doors to air out homes and businesses.
• If you have a breathing plan for a medical condition, be sure to follow it and keep any needed medications refilled.

Check current air quality conditions and advisories on the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Air Quality Index webpage or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on a smartphone.