FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2018
Contact: Ramona Quinn, rquinn@co.klamath.or.us  Valeree Lane, vlane@klamathcounty.org, 541.882.8846

Air quality forecast favorable for long weekend

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The containment of regional wildfires finds the local forecast for air quality to be positive. Klamath County Public Health officials are optimistic that Labor Day Weekend will find the air quality index in the moderate range.

Residents have seen long stretches of poor air quality since July. Air quality has improved significantly since Wednesday. Some smoke intrusion is still expected.

Residents are encouraged to visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map to learn the current air quality index. Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are:

·         Good is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

·         Moderate is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.

·         Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups is 101 to 150. Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

·         Unhealthy is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

·         Very Unhealthy is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

·         Hazardous is greater than 300. This would trigger a health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Weather conditions and smoke levels can vary dramatically during wildfires. Conditions can change as frequently as hourly.

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News Release: DEQ expands air quality advisory to include Jackson, Josephine, portions of Lake

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

News Release: DEQ expands air quality advisory to include Jackson, Josephine, portions of Lake

Medford, Ore.—The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is again issuing an air quality advisory for Josephine, Jackson and Klamath counties. The northern portion of Lake County is also included in the advisory.

DEQ also has an air quality advisory in place for Curry and Klamath counties. All advisories are in place until further notice.

Southern Oregon saw some clearing earlier in the week, but smoke is expected to return to the Rogue Valley by this evening. While most monitors were reading good or moderate on Wednesday morning, monitors in Shady Cove and Cave Junction were reading unhealthy on Wednesday.

The color-coded Air Quality Index ranks air quality as follows: Green is good. Yellow is moderate, which is unhealthy for extremely sensitive groups. Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with respiratory conditions. Red is unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy for all groups. Maroon is hazardous.

People can take the following precautions:

- Be aware of smoke concentrations in your area and avoid the places with highest concentrations.
- Avoid strenuous outdoor activity in smoky conditions.
- If you have heart disease, asthma or other respiratory ailments, or are over 65, you have a higher risk of illness from wildfire smoke.
- Small children and pregnant women are also at increased risk. These residents are encouraged to stay indoors.
- People suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems should follow their breathing management plans or contact their healthcare providers.

The Oregon Smoke Blog also has an air quality map that includes temporary monitors close to specific fires, including ones in Brookings, Gold Beach, Agness, Cave Junction and Prospect. It also has daily smoke forecasts for specific areas, and other resources. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for more information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/

Local smoke levels can rise and fall rapidly. Residents can view current air quality conditions at DEQ’s Air Quality Index https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map The index is also available on smart phones. Simply search for OregonAir in your app store. 

Oregon's monitoring network does not capture air quality conditions in all communities so it is important for residents to gauge air quality conditions where they live and take appropriate actions to protect themselves. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2018
Contact: Ramona Quinn, rquinn@co.klamath.or.us  Valeree Lane, vlane@klamathcounty.org, 541.882.8846

Air quality forecast not favorable to outdoor weekend activities

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Klamath County Public Health officials are encouraging those attending this weekend’s outdoor activities to be mindful of the air quality.

At 8 a.m. Tuesday, Chiloquin’s air quality index was ranked very unhealthy at 217, while Klamath Falls was unhealthy at 180. Forecasts show smoke being drawn in from Lake County’s Watson Creek Fire. Conditions are not expected to improve as the weekend approaches.

Public Health officials are aware of several planned outdoor events throughout the region this weekend and are asking residents to be proactive about possible smoke exposure. High temperatures can make the smoky conditions more uncomfortable. Knowing the range of air quality numbers can help people make good choices about outdoor activities.

The six levels of the air quality index are:

·         Good is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

·         Moderate is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.

·         Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups is 101 to 150. Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this range, people with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk.

·         Unhealthy is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

·         Very Unhealthy is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

·         Hazardous is greater than 300. This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Residents are encouraged to visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map to learn the current air quality index.

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Release date:  Aug. 13, 2018   Contact: DEQ: Katherine Benenati, Public Affairs Specialist, Eugene, 541-600-6119,  benenati.katherine@deq.state.or.us Jackson County: Tanya Phillips, Jackson County Public Health, 541-770-7708, philliTF@jacksoncounty.org Klamath County: Ramona Quinn, rquinn@co.klamath.or.us Valeree Lane, vlane@klamathcounty.org  541.882.8846 Josephine County: Michael Weber, Public Health Director, 541-474-5339, mweber@co.josephine.or.us

DEQ issues air quality advisory Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties

 

Medford, Ore.—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 morning, 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.

Local smoke levels can rise and fall rapidly, depending on fire activity and weather factors including wind direction. Residents can view current air quality conditions at DEQ’s Air Quality Index https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map . The index is also available on smart phones. Simply search for OregonAir in your app store.

The Oregon Smoke Blog also has an air quality map that includes temporary monitors close to specific fires, daily smoke forecasts for specific areas, and other resources. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for more information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/   

The color-coded Air Quality Index ranks air quality as follows: Green is good. Yellow is moderate, which is unhealthy for extremely sensitive groups. Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with respiratory conditions. Red is unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy for all groups. Maroon is hazardous.

People can take the following precautions:

·         Be aware of smoke concentrations in your area and avoid the places with highest concentrations.

·         Avoid strenuous outdoor activity in smoky conditions.

·         If you have heart disease, asthma or other respiratory ailments, or are over 65, you have a higher risk of illness from wildfire smoke.

·         Small children and pregnant women are also at increased risk. These residents are encouraged to stay indoors.

·         People suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems should follow their breathing management plans or contact their healthcare providers.

 

Oregon's monitoring network does not capture air quality conditions in all communities so it is important for residents to gauge air quality conditions where they live and take appropriate actions to protect themselves.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2018
Contact: Ramona Quinn, rquinn@co.klamath.or.us  Valeree Lane, vlane@klamathcounty.org, 541.882.8846

 

Forecast calls for better air quality over the weekend

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Weather forecasts and fire mop-up projections have Klamath County Public Health officials predicting slightly improved air quality over the weekend for the Klamath Basin.

 

The fires in Southwest Oregon and Northern California were expected to become active as the inversion layer lifted Friday morning, but winds are expected to clear out some residual smoke. Improvement in the air quality index is expected, but will likely remain unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as people with respiratory and cardiac conditions.

 

Temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-80s Saturday and Sunday. High temperatures can make the smoky conditions more uncomfortable. Knowing the range of air quality numbers can help people make good choices about outdoor activities.

 

The six levels of the air quality index are:

·         Good is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

·         Moderate is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.

·         Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups is 101 to 150. Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this range, people with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk.

·         Unhealthy is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

·         Very Unhealthy is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

·         Hazardous is greater than 300. This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Residents are encouraged to visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map to learn the current air quality index.

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Klamath County Public Health

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2018
Contact: Ramona Quinn, rquinn@co.klamath.or.us  Valeree Lane, vlane@klamathcounty.org, 541.882.8846

 

Know the numbers

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Community members may have noticed that along with the temperature forecast for each day, many news outlets are discussing the air quality index number. This number is most helpful when residents know its meaning. 

Klamath County Public Health wants to help the community “know the numbers”. High temperatures can make the smoky conditions more uncomfortable. Knowing the range of air quality numbers can help people make good choices about outdoor activities.

The six levels of the air quality index are:

·         Good is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

·         Moderate is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.

·         Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups is 101 to 150. Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this range, people with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk.

·         Unhealthy is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

·         Very Unhealthy is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

·         Hazardous is greater than 300. This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Residents are encouraged to visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map to learn the current air quality index.

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News Release: Air quality advisory in place for Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties, portions of Lake County

Thursday, August 2, 2018

News Release: Air quality advisory in place for Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties, portions of Lake County

With wildfire smoke continuing to impact a large portion of Southwest Oregon, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is extending an air quality advisory for Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties and portions of Lake County including Lakeview.

Air quality is expected to be a concern at least through the weekend.
At 8 a.m. on Thursday, air quality was unhealthy in Lakeview, Klamath Falls, Shady Cove and Prospect. While conditions were moderate on Thursday morning in a number of other places including Medford and Ashland, periods of unhealthy air are forecast. By later in the morning, those levels had risen to unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Remember, local smoke levels can rise and fall rapidly, depending on weather factors including wind direction.
Residents can view current air quality conditions at DEQ’s Air Quality Index https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map The index is also available on smart phones. Simply search for OregonAir in your app store. The Oregon Smoke Blog also has an air quality map that includes temporary monitors close to specific fires, daily smoke forecasts for specific areas, and other resources. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for more information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
The color-coded Air Quality Index ranks air quality as follows: Green is good. Yellow is moderate, which is unhealthy for extremely sensitive groups. Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with respiratory conditions. Red is unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy for all groups. Maroon is hazardous.
People can take the following precautions:
- Be aware of smoke concentrations in your area and avoid the places with highest concentrations.
- Avoid strenuous outdoor activity in smoky conditions.
- If you have heart disease, asthma or other respiratory ailments, or are over 65, you have a higher risk of illness from wildfire smoke.
- Small children and pregnant women are also at increased risk. People in any of these groups might consider leaving the area until air quality improves.
- People suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems should follow their breathing management plans or contact their healthcare providers.
Oregon's monitoring network does not capture air quality conditions in all communities so it is important for residents to gauge air quality conditions where they live and take appropriate actions to protect themselves.
Contact: DEQ: Katherine Benenati, Public Affairs Specialist, Eugene, 541-600-6119, benenati.katherine@deq.state.or.us
Jackson County: Tanya Phillips, Jackson County Public Health, 541-770-7708, philliTF@jacksoncounty.org
Josephine County: Michael Weber, Public Health Director, 541-474-5339, mweber@co.josephine.or.us

Air quality issues prompt questions about using face masks

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Klamath County continues to experience severe smoke intrusion from regional wildfires, creating hazardous air quality concerns. Public Health officials are fielding questions about the use of face masks to reduce smoke exposure.

The Oregon Health Authority has prepared the following information.

People who must be outdoors may be considering the use of masks to help protect their lungs from wildfire smoke. Masks can create a false sense of security if not properly selected, fitted and used. There are a few things to know if you are considering the use of a mask:

·         Avoid the use of surgical masks, bandanas and other common masks. These have not been shown to prevent smoke exposure.

·         Those with questions about use of masks in the workplace should contact their employers, or Oregon OSHA at http://osha.oregon.gov/.

·         There are specialized masks that may prevent some smoke exposure.

·         Most people will find it difficult to use these specialized masks, called particulate respirators, in a way that provides protection.

Considerations about particulate respirators include:

·         Selecting the correct respirator size can be difficult.

·         The type of respirator that is able to filter out harmful smoke particles is not available in children’s sizes.

·         The fit of the respirator must be tested to make sure air does not leak around the sides. Leaking air means that exposure to smoke can still occur.

·         Facial hair can cause the mask to seal incorrectly.

·         The masks can be uncomfortable. Even healthy adults may find that the increased effort required for breathing makes it uncomfortable to wear a respirator for more than short periods of time. Breathing may be even more difficult for those with heart and lung conditions.

·         Care must be taken to select a “particulate respirator” that is marked with the word “NIOSH” and either “N95” or “P100” printed on it.

Residents are encouraged to visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map to learn the current air quality index. Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are:

·         Good is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

·         Moderate is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.

·         Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups is 101 to 150. Although the general public is not likely to be affected at this range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

·         Unhealthy is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

·         Very Unhealthy is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

·         Hazardous is greater than 300. This would trigger a health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Weather conditions and smoke levels can vary dramatically during wildfires. Conditions can change as frequently as hourly. In the last two days, Klamath County has ranged between unhealthy and very unhealthy.

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