Skip to main content

Deception Air Quality Report


Yesterday, fire operations designed to protect the northern and western perimeters continued, with minimal new burning limited due to high winds.  Some of this smoke emitted from interior burning flow down drainage and pooled in the valley causing elevated PM concentrations Thursday morning.  The Westfir and Oakridge, monitors recorded moderate over night and early morning PM levels for a short period. By midafternoon today, air quality improves to the good range.  The forecast inversion will not be a deep as the night before, and with winds a bit faster smoke will not accumulate in low laying areas. Air quality will start to improve after the morning inversion breaks.
Today’s smoke will transport to the west-northwest with easterly winds forecasted for the entire day. Increase wind speed for today will limit any new burn out operations, but there could be increase in the internal burning.  With the combination of warmer temperatures and dry conditions, there is a chance of increase emission production; however, with high mixing heights and fast easterly transport winds, we can expect good smoke dispersion. We forecast the morning air quality to reach “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” in Westfir as smoke vents down the Deception Creek drainage, and “Moderate” for Oakridge.  Smoke should clear after winds increase with inversion break.

Air Quality Forecast for Thursday (Particulate Matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter)

Site

Thursday Morning

Sep 11, 2014

Thursday Afternoon

Sep 11, 2014

Thursday Evening

Sep 11, 2014

Oakridge

Moderate

Good

Moderate

Westfir

USG

Good

USG

Dexter

Moderate

Good

Moderate



24_hour PM 2.5 Concentration form Deception Complex
Thursday 9/11/2014