Air quality warning for three Oregon counties on Tuesday

An air quality warning was issued for Baker, Harney and Malheur counties at 12:14 p.m. Monday, effective until noon Tuesday.

“High concentrations of smoke particles from wildfires in Oregon and Northern California,” the weather service explains. “Smoke levels can change quickly depending on weather conditions. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, the DEQ’s Air Quality Index, or by downloading the free OregonAIR app to your smartphone.”

“Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and aggravate some illnesses. Infants, young children, people with heart or lung disease, the elderly and pregnant women are particularly at risk,” explains the weather service.

Air Quality Warnings: NWS Recommendations

When an air quality warning is in place, it is crucial to follow the weather service’s instructions. Here are some simple tips from the weather service to protect your well-being:

If possible, seek shelter indoors:

Seek refuge indoors whenever possible, especially if you have respiratory or health problems or are in the senior age group or a child.

Trim outdoor activities:

If you can’t avoid going outside, limit your outdoor activities to what is essential. The key is to reduce the time you spend outside.

Reducing environmental pollution:

Be cautious about activities that worsen pollution, such as driving a car, using a gasoline-powered lawn mower, or using other motorized vehicles. Minimize their use during air quality alerts.

Prohibit open fires:

Resist the temptation to burn debris or other materials during an air quality alert. This practice only contributes to air pollution.

Stay well informed:

Stay informed by tuning into NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite weather news station. Staying informed will help you make informed decisions about outdoor activities when air quality alerts are in place.

Respiratory health is important:

If you suffer from respiratory problems or health problems, be especially careful. In these circumstances, you are more vulnerable to the negative effects of poor air quality.

Following the weather service’s recommendations will increase your safety during air quality alerts and minimize your exposure to potentially harmful pollutants. Stay alert, protect yourself, and make your health your top priority.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service from United Robots that uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.