The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has updated its guidance for youth outdoor activities during wildfire smoke and air pollution events, lowering the threshold at which children and teens should reduce outdoor exertion. The update comes as Oregon's 2026 fire season gets underway and public health officials prepare communities for what forecasters are calling a potentially severe smoke season across the Pacific Northwest.

New Youth Smoke Guidance

Under the updated Oregon Air Quality Index guidance released June 8, all children and youth 18 years and younger are now classified as a population sensitive to wildfire smoke. This expands the previous definition of sensitive groups and reflects emerging research showing that children are affected by wildfire smoke particulates at lower levels of exposure than previously understood.

The OHA guidance recommends that youth — including those participating in summer sports, outdoor camps, and recreational activities — reduce or avoid vigorous outdoor activity when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category (AQI 101-150). At AQI levels above 150, all outdoor exertion should be limited for youth, regardless of health status.

Why This Matters for the Northwest

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of fine particles (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, and other pollutants that can penetrate deep into the lungs. Children are particularly vulnerable because their lungs are still developing, they breathe more air relative to their body weight than adults, and they typically spend more time outdoors during summer months. Repeated or extended smoke exposure during childhood has been linked to reduced lung development and increased lifetime respiratory risk.

In recent years, prolonged smoke events from Pacific Northwest wildfires have blanketed communities from the Cascades to the coast, with AQI levels occasionally reaching into the hazardous range for extended periods. The 2020 and 2022 fire seasons brought days of heavy smoke to major population centers including Portland, Seattle, and Spokane.

Monitoring Air Quality in Real Time

Oregon DEQ and Washington Ecology maintain real-time AQI monitoring networks accessible to the public:

  • OregonAir.org — Real-time AQI data for Oregon communities
  • AirNow.gov — Federal air quality information for all states
  • Washington Ecology's Air Quality page — ecology.wa.gov/airquality
  • Purple Air — Community-sourced sensor network for hyper-local readings

Preparing Schools and Summer Programs

OHA recommends that schools, summer camps, youth sports leagues, and childcare providers review their smoke response plans ahead of the season. Plans should include protocols for moving activities indoors, criteria for canceling outdoor events based on AQI levels, and access to indoor filtered air environments for periods of heavy smoke.

Parents and youth program coordinators are encouraged to download the AirNow app and set up local AQI alerts so they can make timely decisions about outdoor activity on smoky days. Wearing a well-fitted N95 respirator can provide meaningful protection for youth when outdoor activity is unavoidable during moderate smoke events, though masks are not a substitute for reducing exposure overall.