Yesterday,
burnout operations designed to protect the northern and western perimeters continued.
Some of this smoke combined with smoke
emitted from interior burning and descended into the valley causing elevated PM
concentrations Tuesday morning. From
Dexter east to Oakridge, nighttime and early morning monitors recorded high
levels PM concentrations. By midafternoon,
the winds shifted to the northwest, and air quality improved. The forecast is for a strong morning inversion
for Tuesday, as a result smoke will pool in low laying areas, with air quality improving
by midafternoon.
Today’s winds will remain north to north-west all
day, transporting smoke to the south and southeast. Once the morning inversion
breaks, smoke will start to disperse and air quality will improve. With the shift
in the winds, the communities of Eugene and Cottage Grove may see reduced smoke
impacts from the Yellow Pine fire. We forecast the morning air quality to reach
“Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups” in Westfir as smoke vents down the Deception
Creek drainage, and “Moderate”
for Oakridge. Smoke should start to
clear when the morning inversion breaks and wind speed increases.
Air Quality Forecast for Tuesday (Particulate
Matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter)
Site
|
Tuesday Morning
Sep 9, 2014
|
Tuesday Afternoon
Sep 9, 2014
|
Tuesday Evening
Sep 9, 2014
|
Oakridge
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
Westfir
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
|
Moderate
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
|
Dexter
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
24-hour
Average PM 2.5 concentrations from Deception Complex
Tuesday
September 9, 2014