LRAPA issues air quality advisory for East Lane; LTD to offer free rides to cooling spaces Aug. 1

from Lane County, Lane Transit District, and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency

With temperatures predicted to approach 100 degrees Thursday, Lane County announced that cooling shelters will open. A list of the sites is provided at https://lanecountyor.gov/cooling.

Lane Transit District will offer community members a free bus ride to and from the closest stop to the nearest designated cooling center during the heat wave. Bus schedules and route maps are available at LTD.org. Just let the driver know that’s where you’re going!

Pacific Source and Trillium will continue to offer transport to cooling spaces and other services such as air conditioners to members. Their services can be accessed via 211 anytime.

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) issued an air quality advisory for eastern Lane County effective starting July 31 and continuing until further notice. This advisory is due to smoke from wildfires in Oregon and neighboring states.

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

LRAPA is also closely watching a weather pattern change on Friday that may bring smoke from fires in Southern Oregon and Northern California to all of Lane County, including the Eugene Springfield area.

Visible smoke aloft is expected to increase, producing more hazy conditions. This pattern is expected to continue over the weekend. Areas near our many local fires, in Eastern Lane and Willamette National Forest, will go to full advisory. Air clearing overnight might be impacted and we may see more continuously bad air quality in Oakridge, Blue River, McKenzie Bridge and all areas nearest the 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/