Wildfire smoke from dozens of fires burning across Oregon and Washington has pushed air quality to dangerous levels across a wide swath of the Pacific Northwest, with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issuing multiple stacked advisories affecting nearly every county in the state. Residents with respiratory conditions, children, and the elderly face significant health risks and are urged to limit outdoor exposure.

Active Advisories as of August 12

Three overlapping air quality advisories are currently in effect across Oregon, issued August 6, August 7, and August 10, 2026. The most recent advisory, issued Monday August 10, affects the following counties through Wednesday afternoon:

  • Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney
  • Hood River, Jefferson, Lake
  • South Klamath, Union, South Wasco
  • Wallowa, Wheeler

Earlier advisories remain in effect for additional counties, including Baker, Malheur, Umatilla, Jackson, Josephine, and much of central and eastern Oregon — creating near-statewide coverage of air quality health guidance.

AQI Reaches Hazardous Levels

Air Quality Index (AQI) values have soared above 300 at some monitoring stations in eastern Oregon and Washington this week — deep into the "Hazardous" category, the highest tier on the AQI scale. At these levels, the smoke poses immediate health risks even for healthy adults, not just sensitive groups.

Portland's air quality has been ranked among the worst of any major city globally during peak smoke events this season, a sobering milestone for a city more accustomed to rain than smoke. Residents across the Willamette Valley have experienced multiple days of orange and red AQI levels this summer.

Health Guidance

Oregon health officials and the DEQ recommend the following actions during elevated smoke events:

  • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible
  • Use air filtration: Run HVAC systems with MERV-13 or higher filters, or use portable air purifiers with HEPA filters
  • Avoid outdoor exercise — even a short jog in heavy smoke can be harmful
  • Wear N95 or KN95 masks if you must be outdoors — surgical masks and cloth masks do not filter fine smoke particles
  • Check on vulnerable neighbors, especially the elderly and those with asthma, COPD, or heart conditions
  • Know your local clean air shelter: Many counties open cooling/clean air centers during extended smoke events

Monitoring Resources

Oregonians can monitor current air quality conditions at oregonsmoke.org or through the EPA's AirNow Fire & Smoke Map at airnow.gov. Both sites provide hourly AQI readings and health guidance by location. Washington residents can visit ecology.wa.gov for state-specific air quality information.

The smoke situation is expected to evolve through Wednesday as a weather system moves through the region. Residents are urged to monitor forecasts closely, as conditions can change rapidly when wind patterns shift.