Air quality advisory for eastern Lane County through July 27

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) has issued an air quality advisory for eastern Lane County through Saturday afternoon, July 27, 2024.

LRAPA expects intermittent periods of smoke with air quality potentially degrading to unhealthy levels at times, particularly in locations such as Vida, Blue River, and the High Prairie area.

This advisory is due to smoke from several local fires, including the Oakridge Lightning Fires complex, which consists of the Chalk, McKinley, Tire Mountain, Moss Mountain, Coffee Pot, 217, and 208 Fires.

Current air quality conditions can be checked on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog or by visiting the EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/

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 individuals. Protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high.

To help reduce the formation of ozone pollution, LRAPA recommends that residents:

• 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 instructions available online.
• 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.

Cloth, dust, and surgical masks don’t protect from the harmful particles in smoke. N95 or P100 respirators approved by NIOSH may offer protection, but they must be properly selected and worn. Select a NIOSH-approved respirator with an N, R, or P alongside the number 95, 99, or 100. Learn how to put on and use a respirator. Respirators won’t work for children as they don’t come in children’s sizes. People with heart or lung conditions should consult their health care provider before wearing a respirator.

For updated resources related to air quality and wildfire smoke, please visit the Oregon Smoke Blog: https://www.oregonsmoke.org/