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Parts of Central Oregon seeing smoke from wildfires

Monitors in Prineville registered very unhealthy (purple) air quality conditions overnight and were still unhealthy (red) early this morning. Air quality has since fluctuated between unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) and moderate (yellow) levels. Winds are expected to help with further clearing.

Air quality was also moderate, which can be unhealthy for extremely sensitive groups, in Bend, Lakeview and Klamath Falls this morning. (Check the map above for current air quality conditions and a refresher on what the colors on the Air Quality Index map mean.)

A number of wildfires are burning in Central Oregon:

  • The 87,000-acre Boxcar Fire south of Maupin, includes the “South Junction Fire” that has merged into it. It is currently 10 percent contained. 
  • Firefighters on the Jack Knife Fire, approximately 10,000 acres, 11 miles southeast of Grass Valley, were able to stop eastward progress of the fire at the John Day River, according to updates on InciWeb. The report didn't include an estimate on containment.
  • The 2,055-acre Graham Fire near Culver is about 50 percent contained.

(Check InciWeb for the latest on fire information and remember to also follow the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire blog.) 

Wildfire smoke conditions can change rapidly and wildfire smoke can be a health concern for even healthy adults. Learn more about wildfire smoke and your health by clicking on the gray "Smoke and Health" tab above. Remember to bookmark this site and download the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's new Air Quality Index mobile app. (Just search for OregonAir in smart phone's app store.) You can also find DEQ's Air Quality Index online.