UPDATE: SEPT. 7, 4:00 p.m. -- Active fires in northern California and southern Oregon have brought back smoky air to much of the region. The new Delta fire between Redding and Mount Shasta, in particular, has made for deteriorating air quality along the I-5 corridor in that area.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Bend, Brookings, Gold Beach
MODERATE: Roseburg, Merlin
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Provolt, Klamath Falls
UNHEALTHY: Cave Junction, Shady Cove
HAZARDOUS: Agness
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Klamath Glen
MODERATE: Crescent City, Gasquet, Orleans
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Hoopa, Happy Camp, Weitchpec, Tule Lake
UNHEALTHY: Redding, Red Bluff, Hornbrook, Yreka, Weed, Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, McCloud, Weaverville
VERY UNHEALTHY: None
HAZARDOUS: Lakehead
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: AUG. 27, 10:00 a.m. -- What a difference a week makes.
After days of smoky air rated "Unhealthy" or worse throughout the Pacific Northwest, many areas are registering Air Quality Index readings in the "Good" range, some for the first time in weeks.
Part of the reason is that many of the larger fires that have been burning around the region are winding down, creating less smoke.
Another factor is the northeast winds that have blown much of the smoke from the interior valleys of southern Oregon and northern California out toward the coast. Not so good for folks in Brookings, Crescent City or Eureka. But for many in the area, air quality is better than it's been since mid-July.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Ashland, Medford, Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Gold Beach, Klamath Falls, Crater Lake, Shady Cove (yes, Shady Cove).
MODERATE: Prospect
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Brookings
UNHEALTHY: None
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Klamath Glen, Yreka, Hornbrook, Weed, Mt. Shasta, Tule Lake
MODERATE: Crescent City, Eureka, Redding, Anderson, Weaverville, Weitchpec, Orleans
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Hoopa, Happy Camp
UNHEALTHY: Willow Creek, Lakehead
VERY UNHEALTHY: None
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: Aug. 22, 10:00 a.m. -- Atmospheric condictions -- plus a slew of wildfires burning in British Columbia -- have now given most of the Pacific Northwest the kind of unhealthy air conditions most of us in southern Oregon and northern California have been enduring since early July.
"Unhealthy" Air Quality Index readings have spread up through Portland, across the Puget Sound and into Vancouver, B.C. The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for most of Oregon and Washington, plus parts of Idaho and Montana. In fact, the one place in Oregon or Washington reporting "Good" AQI readings this morning is Brookings, just north of the California border on the Oregon coast.
Somewhat ironically, one of the relatively few areas in the JPR listening area with air quality rated "Good" is Redding, which has struggled under an almost non-stop blanket of smoke since the Carr fire broke out a month ago.
After a relatively smoke-free weekend in most of the Rogue Valley, the Taylor and Klondike fires in Josephine County are producing much of the smoke that's swept in since Monday and plunged AQI readings back into the red. Some of it is also coming from those fires to the north and east.
Forecasters say coastal areas are the only ones likely to see much relief over the next couple of days.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Brookings
MODERATE: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Agness, Gold Beach
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Roseburg, Chiloguin, Klamath Falls, Lakeview
UNHEALTHY: Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland, Cave Junction, Prospect, Merlin, Shady Cove, Crater Lake
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Redding, Gasquet, Klamath Glen, Orleans
MODERATE: Crescent City, Weitchpec, Eureka, Lewiston, Weaverville
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Mt Shasta, Hoopa
UNHEALTHY: Hornbrook, Yreka, Weed, Tule Lake, Lakehead
VERY UNHEALTHY: Happy Camp, Hoopa
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: AUG. 14, 10:00 a.m. -- The brief respite from smoky air enjoyed by folks in much of the Rogue and Illinois Valleys and the Klamath Basin over the weekend and into Monday morning came to an end yesterday afternoon.
Continued activity on the Klondike and Taylor fires in southern Oregon and the Carr, Mendocino and Hirz fires in northern California are causing air quality index ratings to drop across the inland valleys of the region.
With a weather pattern like yesterday's, fire activity today is expected to produce more smoke, impacting communities closest to the fires. Overall air quality is expected to deteriorate with decreased winds as the day progresses.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Agness
MODERATE: Crater Lake, Gold Beach, Chiloquin
UBHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Klamath Falls, Provolt
UNHEALTHY: Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland, Cave Junction, Prospect
VERY UNHEALTHY: Shady Cove
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Crescent City, Klamath Glen, Eureka, Orleans
MODERATE: Weitchpec
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Mt Shasta, Anderson, Hoopa, Happy Camp
UNHEALTHY: Hornbrook, Yreka, Weed, Redding, Lewiston, Weaverville
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: MONDAY, AUG. 13, 12:00 -- After a weekend that featured some relief from Unhealthy air ratings, Air Quality Index readings in the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin remain slightly better that in recent weeks.
But don't get used to it; health authorities say it won't last.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality advisory for Jackson and Josephine counties and portions of Klamath County, particularly around Klamath Falls, as wildfire smoke continues to affect large portions of Southwest Oregon.
Air quality is expected to be a concern through Thursday morning. At 9 a.m. Monday, air quality was very unhealthy in Shady Cove, unhealthy for sensitive groups in Medford and moderate in Klamath Falls. Conditions are expected to worsen this afternoon.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Gold Beach, Provolt, Crater Lake
MODERATE: Agness, Merlin, Cave Junction, Prospect, Klamath Falls, Ashland
UBHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Medford
UNHEALTHY: Grants Pass
VERY UNHEALTHY: Shady Cove
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Crescent City
MODERATE: Crescent City, Klamath Glen, Hornbrook, Yreka, Tule Lake
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Mt Shasta, Weed,
UNHEALTHY: Orleans, Weitchpec, Weaverville, Anderson
VERY UNHEALTHY: Redding, Happy Camp
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: FRIDAY, AUG. 10, 11:00 a.m. --- Can the air quality in southern Oregon and northern California's inland valleys get worse? Yes, apparently it can ...
Overnight, several locations in the Rogue Valley slipped from merely Unhealthy Air Quality Index readings to Very Unhealthy or Hazardous.
An inversion layer that's been keeping a damper on the fires burning in much of the region is expected to lift today, making fires more active. Burnout operations are being conducted on several fires, as well, creating still more smoke.
Southwest winds forecast for today and Saturday may clear out some residual smoke, making for improved air quality over the weekend. But areas downwind of the most active fires can expect continued unhealthy conditions.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Gold Beach, Agness
UNHEALTHY: Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Provolt, Klamath Falls, Crater Lake
VERY UNHEALTHY: Ashland, Medford, Chiloquin
HAZARDOUS: Shady Cove
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Crescent City, Klamath Glan, Eureka
MODERATE: Orleans
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Hoopa, Weitchpec
UNHEALTHY: Yreka, Hornbrook, Weed, Tule Lake, Eagle Lake
VERY UNHEALTHY: Redding, Anderson
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: THURSDAY, AUG. 9, 9:00 a.m. --- Increased fire activity in southwest Oregon caused a spike in Air Quality Index readings overnight, with Medford and Ashland hitting Hazardous levels of particulate pollution. By morning the smoke had eased a bit, but most communities from the Rogue and Illinois Valleys to the Klamath-Siskiyou region are still coping with Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy air.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg
UNHEALTHY: Ashland, Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Provolt, Crater Lake
VERY UNHEALTHY: Medford, Klamath Falls, Selma
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Crescent City
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Mt. Shasta
UNHEALTHY: Yreka, Redding, Weed, Anderson, Tule Lake, Eagle Lake
VERY UNHEALTHY: Hornbrook
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8, 11:00 a.m. -- There's slightly better air quality in the Rogue Valley this morning, but it's still pretty grim for most of the inland areas in the central and southern parts of the region.
The fires in southwest Oregon and northwest California remain fairly active. The heavy smoke has put a damper on fire behavior, allowing fire crews to make progress in strengthening containment lines.
Part of that work involves conducting burnout operations which, of course, make more smoke. Burnouts on the Klandike and Taylor Greek fires may increase smoke production in the area today.
Light west/northwest winds are forecasted for today. That means areas south of the fires can expect Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy ait quality readings.
Increased winds on Thursday may help clear the smoke out ... and it may help fan the fires, making more smoke.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Gold Beach, Agness
MODERATE: Crater Lake, Merlin
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland, Provolt
UNHEALTHY: Klamath Falls, Cave Junction, Selma, Shady Cove
VERY UNHEALTHY: Prospect
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Crescent City, Klamath
MODERATE: Weitchpec, Orleans, Weitchpec, Hoopa
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Mt. Shasta
UNHEALTHY: Hornbrook, Yreka, Redding, Weed, Anderson, Tule Lake, Eagle Lake
HAZARDOUS: Happy Camp
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: TUESDAY, AUG. 7, 2 p.m. -- If you're in the north of the JPR region or along the coast, you're probably breathing pretty easily. But folks in the mountains and valleys of southern Oregon and northern California continue to live with unhealthy levels of smoke from the region's multiple wildfires.
And the weather forecast -- hot, dry and windy -- offers little hope of a respite anytime soon.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Gold Beach
MODERATE: Crater Lake
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls
UNHEALTHY: Ashland, Medford, Provolt, Merlin, Selma
VERY UNHEALTHY: Shady Cove
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Klamath Glen, Smith River, Orleans, Hoopa
MODERATE: Weitchpec, Weaverville
UNHEALTHY: Yreka, Redding, Weed, Mt. Shasta, Anderson, Tule Lake, Eagle Lake
HAZARDOUS: Happy Camp
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: MONDAY, AUG. 6, 2 p.m ... Active fire behavior on many of the fires in southwest Oregon and northern California is making for worsening air quality through much of the region.
The South Umpqua Complex, Taylor Creek Klamdike and Nachez fires are producing the majority of the smoke in the area. Lighter winds are expected to lessen fire growth over the next couple of days. But fire crews may use that opportunity to burn out areas of heavy fuel to secure the fire lines, so that will introduce more smoke into local airsheds.
Generally north/northwest winds today are likely to push smoke to the south/southeast, worsening air quality in areas south of the fires, even in areas with Good to Moderate AQI readings.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Gold Beach
MODERATE: Crater Lake
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Cave Junction
UNHEALTHY: Ashland, Grants Pass, Medford, Klamath Falls, Shady Cove
VERY UNHEALTHY: Merlin
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Klamath Glan, Smith River
MODERATE: Orleans, Hoopa
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Weitchpec, Weaverville
UNHEALTHY: Yreka, Redding, Weed, Mt. Shasta, Anderson, Tule Lake, Eagle Lake
HAZARDOUS: Happy Camp, Hormbrook
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
UPDATE: TUESDAY, JULY 31, 9 a.m. -- Air quality in the mountains and valleys of southern Oregon and northern California continues to be poor, as the fires that are filling the region with smoke continue to grow.
Still, some areas of the Rogue Valley lightened a bit and air quality oficials hold out hope that coming cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity may help firefighters tamp the fires down, possibly bringing some relief later this week.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Eugene, Springfield, Gold Beach, Agness
MODERATE: Roseburg, Grants Pass, Medford, Cave Junction
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Selma, Provolt
UNHEALTHY: Ashland, Central Point, Shady Cove, Crater Lake
VERY UNHEALTHY: Klamath Falls
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Klamath Glen, Orleans, Hoopa
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS: Weed
UNHEALTHY: Anderson, Red Bluff, Mt. Shasta, Weaverville, Hornbrook
VERY UNHEALTHY: Yreka, Fort Jones
HAZARDOUS: Redding, Eagle Lake
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
ORIGINAL POST: MONDAY, JULY 30, 10:00 a.m. -- The fires in northern California and southern Oregon contine to blanket the inland valleys with unhealthy levels of smoke. But residents of the coast and north of the Rogue Valley are, for now at least, being spared most of the pollution.
Folks in Eugene and Roseburg -- as well as in Gold Beach, Eureka and Klamath Glen -- are enjoying air rated "Good."
But the ongoing fires in Jackson, Josephine and Shasta counties are yielding Air Quality Index ratings in the "Unhealthy" range or worse.
Here are some representative AQI ratings from around the region ...
OREGON:
GOOD: Roseburg, Eugene, Springfield, Gold Beach, Coos Bay
UNHEALTHY: Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland, Klamath Falls
VERY UNHEALTHY: Shady Cove
HAZARDOUS: Crater Lake, Selma
CALIFORNIA:
GOOD: Gasquet, Klamath Glen. Eureka
UNHEALTHY: Redding, Anderson, Red Bluff, Mt. Shasta, Happy Camp, Yreka
Here's a guide to how to protect yourself under the various AIQ conditions ...
