Yesterday’s
operations protected the perimeter along the northern edge to limit fire growth.
The burnout operations combined with continued burning of interior islands
resulted in an additional smoke production during yesterday’s shift. Some of
the smoke from yesterday descended causing elevated PM concentrations Monday morning.
From Dexter east to Oakridge nighttime
and early morning surface concentrations were a bit elevated. Smoke also flowed
down the Deception creek drainage affecting the Westfir community last night
and early morning. Oakridge smoke conditions remained moderate throughout the
day and night times.
Today’s winds will be easterly in the morning switching
to north-west winds by the afternoon. Smoke will start to lift by early
afternoon, and the burn team will begin burnout operations on the north and west
perimeters. Smoke will linger all day
from Dexter to Oakridge as smoke drifts down valley. By the afternoon winds will
increase and switch to the northwest moving smoke to the southeast. The
communities of Eugene and Cottage Grove will continue to be impacted by smoke
from the Yellow Pine fire. We forecast the air quality to reach “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” in Westfir
as smoke vents down the Deception Creek drainage this afternoon, and “Moderate”
for Oakridge into the evening as smoke pools with cooling temperatures.
Air Quality Forecast for Monday (Particulate
Matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter)
|
Site
|
Monday Morning
Sep 8, 2014
|
Monday Afternoon
Sep 8, 2014
|
Monday Evening
Sep 8, 2014
|
|
Oakridge
|
Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
Westfir
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
|
Moderate
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
|
|
Dexter
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
24 hour average PM 2.5 concentrations from Deception
Complex
Monday September 8, 2014
