Wildfire smoke has prompted an air quality advisory for eastern Oregon through Sunday.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued the advisory Friday for Harney, Malheur and northern Deschutes counties. Advisories for Jefferson County and the Warm Springs and Lakeview areas also remain in effect until at least Monday.
DEQ spokesperson Laura Gleim said nearby wildfires from Oregon and Northern California are contributing to high levels of smoke and it is unclear if by Monday the advisory will be lifted.
“We’re seeing smoke from the Crane Fire and then also a lot of smoke from several fires in Northern California,” Gleim said. “Up in central Oregon, we are seeing smoke in the Jefferson County and Warm Springs area from the Green Ridge fire, which is outside of Camp Sherman. As well as several fires in the Warm Springs Reservation.”
An aerial image shows the Crane Fire burning in the Fremont-Winema National Forest in southeast Oregon, Aug. 16, 2020.
Inciweb / Inciweb
Gleim said smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather and recommends folks to regularly check for current conditions in their area.
“We’ve seen the smoke levels in these areas fluctuate between moderate and unhealthy for sensitive groups and we can expect to continue to see that sort of fluctuation as the winds pick up or change direction,” she said.
DEQ recommends staying inside if possible and keeping windows and doors closed. The agency also recommends avoiding any strenuous outdoor activity and avoid places with high levels of smoke.
Smoke is made up of primarily small particles, gases and water vapor, with trace amounts of hazardous air pollutants. The most harmful are the small particles, or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5).
Gleim said PM 2.5 is about 30 times or more smaller than the diameter of human hair and for this reason only N95 masks, if worn properly, can provide protection.
“The cloth, dust and surgical masks that people are wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 do not protect people from the harmful particles that we find in wildfire smoke,” she said.
These particles can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, damaging lung tissue and causing respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
Smoke can irritate people’s eyes and lungs, cause lightheadedness, and can worsen some medical conditions like asthma and other respiratory conditions.
These are also some of the same sensitive groups that are also affected and more at-risk of COVID-19.