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Wildfire Air Quality Report for August 11, 2014


Central OR & JDICC Wildfire Air Quality Summary Report
Prepared for August 11, 2014,
Andrea Holland, Air Resource Advisor

   Air Quality Outlook
Yesterday saw active fire behavior in the South Fork Complex fire.  Smoke lingered the nearby valley communities including John Day, Dayville, and Prairie City.
Today’s southeast winds will push the northwest perimeter of the South Fork Complex fire into unburned timbered fuels creating additional smoke throughout the day.  While a light morning inversion will lift late this morning, light to moderate smokey conditions are likely to persist off and on in nearby communities throughout the day (including John Day, Dayville, Prairie City, Paulina and Mitchell).  Smokey conditions in Burns will lift by late morning/early afternoon.  Smoke may settle back into Burns tonight.  The potential for thunderstorms to pass over the area may result in local wind gusts that could result in greater fire activity this afternoon and additional smoke.
Tomorrow will see similar air quality conditions in communities around the South Fork Complex fire.  Winds will shift and come from the southwest affecting nearby downwind communities throughout the day (including John Day, Dayville, Prairie City, Seneca and Unity).  Burns will once again see smoke impacts in the morning, clearing by early afternoon.  Smoke from Northern CA fires could drift into the Deschutes River valley communities including Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters.  Paulina and Mitchell may also see smoke effects from the Northern CA fires.
Site
August 10
AQI
August 11
AQI
August 12
AQI
Remarks
Bend
Good
Good
Good
Smoke may drift in from N.Calif fires
Burns
Good
Good
Good
Smoke mostly in mornings, lifting by afternoon
Dayville
No data
Moderate
Moderate
Smokey off and on through Tuesday
Madras
Good
Good
Moderate
Smoke may drift in from N.Calif fires
John Day
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Smoke impacts mostly over night and morning
Paulina
No data
Moderate
Moderate
Smokey off and on through Tuesday
Prairie City
No data
Moderate
Moderate
Smokey off and on through Tuesday
Prineville
Good
Good
Moderate
Smoke may drift in from N.Calif fires
Seneca
Good (est)
Good
Moderate
Smokey off and on through Tuesday
Sisters
Good
Good
Moderate
Smoke may drift in from N.Calif fires
Unity
No data
Good
Moderate
Smoke will be noticeable beginning mid to late Tues.
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.  AQI’s estimated for sites with USFS air monitors.
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