Wildfire smoke continues to pour across the Pacific Northwest, triggering a wave of air quality advisories and alerts from state environmental agencies. As of the week of August 18-23, 2026, residents in dozens of communities across Oregon and Washington are experiencing unhealthy to hazardous air quality driven by smoke from the region's 29 active large fires.

Oregon Air Quality Advisories

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued an air quality advisory covering Crook, Jefferson, Wallowa, and southern Wasco counties due to smoke from active wildfires. The DEQ noted that it expected intermittent smoke in Deschutes County as well, with the highest concentrations expected on days with light or stagnant winds. The advisory was expected to remain in effect through at least Friday, August 21, with conditions potentially persisting through the weekend depending on fire behavior and wind patterns.

The advisory covers smoke from multiple large fires, including the Hagen Fire east of Pendleton, the Grasshopper Fire in the Mt. Hood National Forest, the Wrights Spring Fire near Sprague River, and others across central and eastern Oregon.

Washington Air Quality Alerts

An Air Quality Alert was issued for more than 33 cities in central and northeastern Washington as wildfire smoke swept through the area. Smoke from the Sinlahekin Fire west of Tonasket and the Little Giant Fire near Lake Chelan has been particularly impactful on Grant and Adams counties, where the Columbia Basin lies directly downwind of the region's two largest active fires.

The Washington Department of Ecology advised sensitive groups — including people with asthma, heart or lung disease, the elderly, children, and pregnant women — to limit their time outdoors and reduce physical activity when air quality index (AQI) values rise above 100 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

Health Recommendations

Health officials across the region are urging the following precautions during periods of poor air quality:

  • Stay indoors when possible, keeping windows and doors closed.
  • Use air purifiers with HEPA filters to improve indoor air quality.
  • Wear N95 or KN95 masks if you must be outdoors for extended periods. Cloth masks do not filter fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
  • Avoid strenuous outdoor exercise — smoke particles penetrate deeper into the lungs during heavy breathing.
  • Check on vulnerable neighbors — elderly individuals and those without air conditioning may need assistance.
  • Keep pets indoors as much as possible during high-smoke periods.

Monitoring Resources

Real-time air quality data is available at:

  • AirNow.gov — official EPA air quality index map for the entire United States
  • OregonSmoke.org — Oregon-specific smoke forecasts and advisories from DEQ
  • AirFire.org — regional smoke outlooks from the USFS AirFire team
  • IQAir.com — real-time PM2.5 sensor data from community monitors

Air quality conditions are expected to remain elevated through at least the weekend of August 23-24, with modest improvement possible early next week as an upper-level trough brings wind pattern changes to the region. However, with dozens of active fires still burning, residents should expect periodic smoke impacts through September.