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Air Quality Deteriorates over Southwestern Oregon

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Smoke from the Cable Crossing and Stouts fire in Southwestern Oregon are creating lots of smoke over Southwestern Oregon today, as can be seen in this satellite image taken late this morning.
Air quality is in the VERY UNHEALTHY levels in Medford and UNHEALTHY levels in Shady Cove.  Grants Pass, Provolt, and Cave Junction are all in the moderate range.  The rest of the State is experiencing good air quality.  This evening, smoke is likely to concentrate in areas down valley from the fires.   Please take appropriate precautions.




The following three figures illustrate the predicted 24-hour average concentration and spread of smoke for today (Saturday August 1), Sunday (August 2) and Monday (August 3), assuming no additional fire spread and no new starts (not a great assumption, but models have limits).  The results should be interpreted on a relative scale such that dark red represents higher smoke concentrations than pink areas   Notice on Sunday, light smoke is expected to spread east and is likely to reach Klamath Falls.  Also  other parts of Oregon may experience light smoke and/or haze along the coast and near Pendelton.  On Monday, smoke is retracting back to areas near the fires in Southwestern portions of the State.