Air-quality advisory issued for Salem, Eugene, Portland and Medford

Tracy Loew, Salem Statesman Journal
Updated ·2 min read
The Sun shines through a thick layer of smoke from nearby wildfires from Skinner Butte in Eugene Monday night.
The Sun shines through a thick layer of smoke from nearby wildfires from Skinner Butte in Eugene Monday night.

The latest air quality story is posted here

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Monday for Salem, Eugene-Springfield, the Portland-Vancouver metro area and the Medford area due to elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog.

DEQ officials said they expected ozone pollution to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups by Monday afternoon. The advisory is in effect through Wednesday night.

Oregon ranks air quality as good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous.

The Sun shines through a thick layer of smoke from nearby wildfires from Skinner Butte in Eugene Monday night.
The Sun shines through a thick layer of smoke from nearby wildfires from Skinner Butte in Eugene Monday night.

Sensitive groups include children, people over 65, pregnant people and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health officials recommend those groups limit outdoor activities when pollution levels are high.

High temperatures and low winds can increase air pollution, by combining with pollution from cars, gas-powered engines and chemicals in paint and aerosols.

That’s what was happening on Monday.

Ozone pollution increases throughout the day with exposure to sunlight, so pollution levels tend to be highest during afternoons and early evenings, DEQ officials said. Air quality monitors may show good air quality in the morning, then quickly jump to unhealthy levels later in the day.

DEQ is urging residents to limit activities that cause pollution during heat waves.

Recommendations include:

  • Limit driving by using public transit, carpooling or other alternative transportation.

  • Avoid unnecessary engine idling.

  • Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours.

  • Postpone mowing the lawn or using leaf blowers.

  • Postpone painting and aerosol spray projects.

Lane Regional Air Protection Agency and the Southwest Clean Air Agency joined DEQ in issuing the smog advisory.

The warning comes as several areas of the state, including eastern Lane County, are under separate air quality advisories for wildfire smoke. That smoke could impact the Eugene-Springfield area, DEQ officials said earlier Monday.

Lane County, in partnership with Greenhill Humane Society, will open a clean air cooling and respite location from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Lane Events Center, 796 W 13th Ave., in Meeting Room 1. Guests can check-in at the front desk.

Air scrubbers will be on-site. Snacks and water will be provided and restrooms are available. Greenhill Humane Society will provide animal crates and supplies, allowing pets to be housed in the clean air facility.

Current air quality conditions and advisories can be found on DEQ’s Air Quality Index at https://ordeq.org/oregonair or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on a smartphone.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Air-quality advisory issued in Salem, Eugene, Portland, Medford