Oregon air quality plummets as wildfire smoke blankets the state

Wildfire smoke, mostly from the Grasshopper Fire, blew into the Portland metro area Tuesday morning. It’s expected to stick around at least through Wednesday.

PORTLAND, Ore. — It was impossible to miss the smoky haze hanging over Portland as wildfire smoke plunged most of the state’s air quality into unhealthy levels Tuesday morning. The smoke is expected to stick around at least through Wednesday and into Thursday.

Officials initially issued an Air Quality Advisory for the Portland-Vancouver metro area, as well as several other locations around the state. That was quickly expanded to cover “most of Oregon.“

Conditions worsened over the course of the day as eastern winds blew more smoke from surrounding fires into the region. Air quality in Western Oregon was almost entirely considered unhealthy as of Tuesday night, with parts of Central Oregon skyrocketing to very unhealthy or hazardous. Southern Oregon escaped the worst of it, with sensors showing moderate air quality.

Portland and Vancouver have been hit the hardest by smoke from the Grasshopper fire, which has burned roughly 34,000 acres around Mount Hood. By 6 p.m. on Tuesday, much of the Portland metro area was under either unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Smoke is expected to remain thick in western Oregon all day Wednesday and into Thursday, before finally lightening up late Thursday and into Friday. The Air Quality Advisory is in effect until further notice for most of the region.

A Heat Advisory will also be in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday, with highs in the mid-90s and some spots possibly into the upper-90s. Those temperatures are expected to linger through Thursday before beginning to cool off.

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According to air quality experts at the Department of Environmental Quality, there is no “safe” amount of wildfire smoke to breathe, particularly for vulnerable groups such as young children, older adults and people with pre-existing health conditions.

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are considered the most effective option for capturing fine smoke particles when compatible with a home’s HVAC system.

Experts also encourage residents to use portable air purifiers when possible. For households with members who are particularly sensitive to smoke, creating a designated “clean air room” can provide additional protection during periods of poor air quality.