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Central OR & JDICC Wildfire Air Quality Summary Report
Prepared by Andrea Holland, Air Resource Advisor

   Air Quality Outlook
Yesterday, winds paired with over 7500 acres burned in the South Fork Complex fires  (SFC) drove smoke into Burns resulting in unhealthy conditions for most of the morning.  Today the SFC is not expected to burn as many acres as seen in the last two days.  This and a northeast wind should provide Burns some relief from smoke.  Smoke will linger around the areas near the SFC and Bald Sisters fire and may settle into communities around John Day, Unity and Paulina later today.  Tomorrow’s shift in winds will see flows from the south to southeast.  Fire behavior is expected to increase with this wind shift.  Sunday could see smoke affecting communities north to northwest of the fires.  Areas around John Day, Mitchell, and Paulina may see moderate smoke impacts.  Communities along the Deschutes River valley may see some light smoke from SFC.
Site
August 8
AQI
August 9
AQI
August 10
AQI
Remarks
Bend
Good
Good
Good

Burns
Unhealthy
Good
Good
Winds favorable to Burns today – little to no smoke
Madras
Good
Good
Good

John Day
Good
Moderate
Moderate

Paulina
No data
Moderate
Moderate

Prineville
Good
Good
Good

Seneca
No data
Good
Good

Sisters
Good
Good
Good

Unity
No data
Good
Good
Smoke likely to drift in and out of Unity today
PLEASE NOTE: The air quality outlook is based on data from automated instruments that have not been subjected to a quality assurance review to determine their accuracy.
Air Quality Index
Potential Health Impacts
Actions to Reduce Smoke Exposure
Good
Air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk
None
Moderate
Air quality is acceptable for most.  There may be moderate health concern for a very small number of individuals.
People with heart or lung disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.  Everyone else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects.  The general public is not likely to be affected.
People with heart or lung disease, children or older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.  Everyone else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
Unhealthy
Everyone may begin to experience health effects.  These effects may be more serious for sensitive people.
The following groups should avoid all physical outdoor activity: people with heart or lung disease, children and older adults.  Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
Very Unhealthy
Triggers a health alert meaning everyone may experience more serious health effects
Everyone should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should remain indoors.
Hazardous
Triggers health warnings of emergency conditions.  Everyone is very likely to be affected by serious health effects.
The following groups should remain indoors and keep activity levels low: people with heart or lung disease, children and older adults.  Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
For more information visit www.oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Air Quality data can be viewed at: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/index.aspx