Air Quality Report, Tuesday
September 1, 2015
NE Oregon, SE Washington and W Central Idaho
Prepared by: Greg Johnson, Air
Resource Advisor, Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest, Baker City OR
Except for some valleys
just east of the Teepee Springs and Grizzly Bear fires nearly all areas in
the region have excellent air quality.
This will continue for the coming 3-5 days as cooler air, southwest to
west winds, and good dispersion will move in on Wednesday and Thursday. Today will still be quite warm and there
could be some fire growth issues—south to southwest winds today could be
rather strong in some areas. After
today, though, the weather will not favor fire growth so much, and resultant
smoke production should also be less.
Rainfall tomorrow through Saturday will generally be light, but the
fire areas could receive some helpful light amounts. Temperatures will go below normal,
especially Thursday through Saturday. Troy
is the only location that has really poor air quality, and they will probably
continue to suffer with smoke a few more days. Riggins could have some smoke from Teepee
Springs, but most of the time winds will keep smoke up the Salmon River to
the east.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Air Quality Outlook:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site
|
Tuesday
September 1
|
Wednesday
September 2
|
Thursday
September 3
|
Comments
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Baker
City
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Elgin
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Enterprise/Joseph
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Halfway
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
La
Grande
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Lewiston
ID/Clarkston WA
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
McCall
ID
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Ontario/Payette
ID
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Pendleton
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Riggins
ID
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Just
occasional smoke from Teepee Springs possible each day
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Troy
|
Very Unhealthy
|
Unhealthy
|
Unhealthy
|
Grizzly
Bear fire smoke significant at times
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Vale
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Walla
Walla WA
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Weiser
ID
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Links:
Oregon Smoke Information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
AirNow:
www.airnow.gov
Idaho Smoke Information: http://idsmoke.blogspot.com/
Washington Smoke Information: http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Warning: These data have been obtained
from automated instruments and have not been subjected to a quality assurance
review to determine their accuracy. They are presented for public awareness
and should not be considered final. Conditions such as power outages and
equipment malfunctions can produce invalid data.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Since
wildfires often occur in remote areas, air monitoring equipment may not be
available. The following table provides a quick method to assess air quality
in your area. For more detailed information you can go to the following site:
http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/wildfires/visibility.htm
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Using
the 5-3-1 Visibility Index
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance
you can see*
|
Your
are:
|
|
You
have:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
· An adult
· A teenager
· An older child
|
· Age 65 and over
· Pregnant
· A young child
|
OR
|
· Asthma
· Respiratory illness
· Lung or heart disease
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
5
miles
|
check
visibility
|
minimize
outdoor activity
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
3
miles
|
minimize
outdoor activity
|
stay inside
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
1
mile
|
stay inside
|
stay inside
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
No matter how far you can see, if you feel like
you are having health effects from smoke exposure, take extra care to stay
inside or get to an area with better air quality. You should also see your doctor or other health
professional as needed.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
* less reliable under high humidity conditions
|