Oregon Smoke Information

  Keep an eye out for smoke in S. Oregon over the weekend of July 30-31 Wind this weekend has brought wildfire smoke into parts of Klamath, Jackson, and Josephine Counties. Smoke from the McKinley Fire in California could impact these areas over the weekend.  Our team will be monitoring conditions and posting updates as needed. Air quality conditions can change rapidly. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Blog,  DEQ’s Air Quality Index   or by downloading the free OregonAir app for your smartphone. Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant women. Protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high: Stay inside if possible. Keep windows and doors closed. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in indoor ventilation systems or po...

Wildfire season is right around the corner, and it’s best to prepare for wildfire smoke before it arrives. The most effective way to protect yourself is to stay indoors when it’s smoky. It’s also important to keep your indoor air clean. Here are three ways to keep your indoor air clean and healthy during wildfire season: If your home has a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, check the rating of your system’s air filter. The rating, called a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), ranges from 1 to 16. Look for a high-efficiency MERV rating of 13-16. This can remove 90% or more of the particles from your indoor air, including the tiny harmful particulates in wildfire smoke. Check with a professional HVAC technician to be sure a high efficiency filter is compatible with your system. When it’s smoky outside, set your HVAC system to recirculate indoor air if possible rather than pulling air from outside. Another method for keeping your indoor air clean is to purchas...

Smoke from wildfires is becoming a reality that individuals and communities face each fire season. Want to learn how you can protect yourself and those you care about from wildfire smoke?  Join us as we hear from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Oregon Health Authority about how to prepare for a smoke event. Speakers will talk about smoke impacts to human health, how to access important air quality information and how to differentiate between the levels of air quality. They will also discuss things you can do right now to prepare.  When : Monday, May 2, 12-1 p.m. PDT What: Free webinar open to all Register here Hosted by Oregon State University Extension Service