Residents across central and eastern Oregon are waking up to some of the worst air quality of the year as dense smoke from dozens of active wildfires settles into valleys and basins. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the National Weather Service have issued a Smoke Air Quality Advisory covering Baker, Crook, Grant, Jefferson, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler counties, with conditions forecast to remain unhealthy through at least Tuesday.

Conditions on the Ground

AirNow.gov mapping as of late July 27 showed pockets of "Hazardous" Air Quality Index (AQI) readings — the highest warning level, indicating emergency conditions — in central and eastern Oregon. Hazardous AQI levels (above 300) mean the air is dangerous for everyone, not just sensitive groups, and prolonged outdoor exposure can cause serious health effects.

Communities including Madras, Prineville, John Day, Baker City, and La Grande have all recorded elevated PM2.5 readings. The Bend-Redmond corridor has fluctuated between "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" (orange) and "Unhealthy" (red) depending on wind direction and temperature.

In Washington, air quality alerts have been issued for eastern and central Washington, covering most of the region due to wildfire smoke transported from Oregon and local fires in Okanogan and Chelan counties.

Smoke Spreading Nationwide

The NIFC national weather briefing noted that extensive smoke from Northwest fires is drifting east through the Dakotas, Minnesota, and into the Ohio Valley. The smoke is causing hazy skies and reducing air quality along its path to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. This interstate smoke transport is a recurring feature of major Northwest fire seasons and affects air quality for tens of millions of Americans far from the actual fires.

Smoke shading from the dense plumes is also depressing temperatures in central Oregon, northern Idaho, and Montana by 10 to 15 degrees compared to what they would otherwise be — providing some suppression benefit but also reducing the convective lift that helps keep smoke aloft and dispersed.

Health Guidance

State and local health officials are urging the following precautions:

  • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed when AQI is Unhealthy or above
  • Use a HEPA air purifier if available, especially in bedrooms
  • Wear a properly fitted N95 or KN95 respirator if you must go outside — cloth masks and surgical masks do not filter fine smoke particles
  • Avoid strenuous outdoor activity during periods of heavy smoke
  • Check your air quality before going outside at AirNow.gov or the Oregon DEQ's aqicat.deq.state.or.us
  • Keep pets indoors and limit their outdoor exposure
  • Those with asthma, heart disease, or other chronic conditions should be especially cautious and have medications readily available

When Will It Clear?

Forecast models suggest some smoke relief is possible later in the week as wind patterns shift, but with 51 large fires still active and uncontained across Oregon and Washington, smoke will remain a recurring issue throughout the fire season. Air quality conditions can change rapidly — a shift in wind can bring clear skies in hours, or heavy smoke can move in just as quickly.

Oregon smoke forecast information is available at oregonsmoke.org, and Washington smoke updates are tracked at the Washington Smoke Blog (wasmoke.blogspot.com).