As wildfire smoke season approaches in the Pacific Northwest, state and local air quality agencies marked Air Quality Awareness Week this month with campaigns urging residents to prepare now for what could be a smoky summer. Both Oregon and Washington environmental agencies have ramped up public education ahead of what forecasters say may be a significant smoke season given current drought and fuel conditions.

Smoke Is a Health Issue, Not Just a Nuisance

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter — known as PM2.5 — that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. Health effects range from irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat to serious cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Washington’s Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) noted this week that even when no local fire threatens a community, wildfire smoke routinely travels long distances. In recent years, smoke from fires in Oregon, Montana, British Columbia, and Alaska has caused elevated pollution levels in communities hundreds of miles from the fire perimeter.

Populations at greatest risk from smoke exposure include:

  • Children and the elderly
  • People with asthma, COPD, or other respiratory conditions
  • People with heart disease or diabetes
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone doing heavy outdoor work or exercise

Oregon’s Smoke Trend Is Worsening

An Oregon Department of Environmental Quality smoke trends report found that wildfire smoke has contributed to a growing number of days with Air Quality Index levels at “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” or worse across the state. Communities in central and southern Oregon — including Bend and Klamath Falls — have seen notable increases in smoke-impacted days over the past decade. DEQ notes that even “Moderate” AQI levels can adversely affect the most sensitive individuals.

How to Protect Yourself

Air quality experts recommend the following steps to prepare before smoke season arrives:

  • Identify a clean air shelter in your community — a library, community center, or other public building with good filtration
  • Stock N95 or KN95 masks — these filter PM2.5, unlike cloth or surgical masks
  • Prepare your home — know how to close windows and set HVAC systems to recirculate inside air
  • Build or buy an air purifier — even a DIY box fan purifier with a MERV-13 furnace filter can significantly reduce indoor smoke levels
  • Monitor air quality daily — use AirNow.gov, Washington Ecology’s air quality map, or Oregon DEQ’s air quality tools for real-time AQI and 5-day smoke forecasts

Resources

Oregon residents can track current air quality and smoke forecasts at oregonair.org. Washington residents can use the state Department of Ecology’s real-time air quality map at ecology.wa.gov. The federal AirNow smoke map, which integrates satellite fire data with ground monitors, is available at fire.airnow.gov.