Smoky skies across Central Oregon: What you need to know to stay safe
Claire Elmer
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As wildfires continue to burn across Central Oregon, many of you are seeing hazy skies and smoky air. KTVZ News wanted to know why some areas are hit harder than others, and how you can stay safe.
The top priority: Stay aware of what’s happening in your region.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says smoke impacts vary widely depending on fire behavior, local geography, and weather conditions, especially wind. Smoke can settle into low-lying areas overnight, trapping particles close to the ground and making air quality worse in the morning.
Jennifer Horton with the Oregon DEQ told KTVZ News on Tuesday, “The direction that the wind is blowing has a big impact on what communities are affected by smoke. Temperatures and that relative humidity changing will affect the smoke behavior and could potentially bring smoke into communities more overnight.”
Another factor is the type of fuel that’s burning. Fires in areas with dense, moist vegetation often smolder longer, releasing more smoke into the air.
Fine particles, known as PM 2.5 are in smoke, and pose the biggest health risks. They get deep into the lungs and bloodstream, impacting both respiratory and cardiovascular health.
“People need to watch out for impacts to their lungs, their breathing. For people who have asthma, they need to make sure medications are refilled,” said Horton.
Even when smoke travels far, these particles remain just as harmful. How can you best protect yourself and your loved ones? “Running air conditioners on recirculate. Using indoor filtration systems, if you have that available. If you’re able to keep their windows closed overnight, that’s really going to help keep the air inside your home a lot cleaner,” said Horton.
Whether you’re seeing smoke today or not, it’s important to stay prepared. Conditions can change quickly, especially overnight. Make sure you are set up for air quality alerts and check air quality levels before going outside. AQI monitors across Oregon report their readings every hour.
Our Local Alert Weather page now has the latest Bend air quality from the AirNow site provided by the Environmental Protection Agency. Bend’s air quality worsened to ‘unhealthy’ Tuesday afternoon. You can click the logo in the lower right corner on that page to check the latest index where you live.
You can also find more information on tips and resources in our previous story here.
