Air Quality Report # 12 for Southwest Oregon
Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua
National Forests
Smoke Synopsis:
Yesterday: SW Oregon experienced elevated smoke levels ranging from high
moderate to Unhealthy. Burnouts at the Crescent, Stouts Creek, and Collier
Butte Fires contributed to impacts. Stagnant conditions allowed background
smoke from other fires in the region and residual smoke from previous days to
also contribute to yesterday’s smoke levels.
Today: Smoke impacts remained
significant throughout the morning hours, however, a change in the weather will
result in the scouring of existing smoke in many areas as the day progresses.
This will bring general improvement to air quality. Winds will increase
and become northwesterly. Locations directly downwind from fires will see
continued smoke impacts as the wind will move smoke across those areas. Burnouts
are planned on the Crescent Fire and Collier Butte fires if weather and fuel
conditions permit. Crater Lake NP
continues to be impacted by Crescent Fire due its proximity to the Crescent
Fire and predicted winds. Smoke conditions can be seen by viewing the NPS
webcams for air quality status. http://www.nps.gov/crla/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm
Tomorrow: Improvement in air quality continues except in
areas that are directly downwind from fire activity. As the surface high
pressure moves to the east, there will be improved dispersion of smoke with a
change in wind direction and increased wind speed. Areas immediately downwind of fires will be most affected by smoke.
Prepared by Air Resource
Advisors: Gary Curcio (252-624-7635, gary.curcio@gmail.com), Janice
Peterson (206-484-4353, jlpeterson@fs.fed.us) and Michael
McGown (208-994-1316, mcgown.michael@epa.gov))
Air Quality Outlook:
|
Location
|
Yesterday 8/18/2015
|
Today 8/19/2015
|
Tomorrow 8/20/2015
|
Comments
|
|
Cave Junction
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Grants Pass
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
|
Klamath Falls
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
USG
|
|
|
Medford
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
|
|
Provolt
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Shady Cove
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
USG
|
|
|
Eagle Point 19
|
Unhealthy
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Jacksonville 215
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Good
|
Jacksonville
station will be shut down and reassigned to maintenance
|
|
Ashland 84
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
|
Tiller 23
|
Unhealthy
|
USG
|
Moderate
|
Modeled
data only, Tiller station has been reassigned to maintenance
|
|
Prospect
16
|
No Data
|
USG
|
USG
|
modeled
data only
|
|
Agness
|
No Data
|
Good
|
Good
|
modeled
data only
|
|
Gold Beach
|
No Data
|
Good
|
Good
|
modeled
data only
|
|
Brookings
|
No Data
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
modeled
data only
|
|
AQI
Category
(PM2.5 µg/m3) |
Potential
Health Impacts
|
Actions to
Protect Yourself
|
|
Good (0-12)
|
Little or
no health risk
|
None
|
|
Moderate (13-35)
|
Air
quality is acceptable for most. There may be moderate health concern for a
small number of sensitive people.
|
Unusually
sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy outdoor
exertion.
|
|
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – USG (36-55)
|
Members
of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
|
People
with heart or lung disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged
or heavy outdoor exertion. Everyone
else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
|
|
Unhealthy (56-150)
|
Everyone
may begin to experience more serious health effects.
|
The
following groups should avoid all physical outdoor activity: People with
heart or lung disease, children and older adults. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or
heavy exertion.
|
|
Very Unhealthy
(151-250)
|
Triggers
a health alert, everyone may experience more serious health effects
|
Everyone should avoid any outdoor
exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children
should remain indoors.
|
|
Hazardous (>250)
|
The
entire population is even more likely to be affected by serious health
effects.
|
The
following groups should remain indoors and keep activity levels low: People
with heart or lung disease; children and older adults. Everyone else should
avoid prolonged or heavy exertion
|
Learn more
at: a) Oregon Smoke Blog http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
b) AirNow http://airnow.gov and http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_wildfires
c) Oregon
DEQ Air monitoring http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/index.aspx