Oregon sees record number of unhealthy air days as wildfire smoke persists

Wildfire smoke continued to blanket most of Oregon on Wednesday, prompting air-quality advisories in all but two counties, officials said. A decade-long study by the state Department of Environmental Quality shows that nearly every region now experiences several days of unhealthy smoke each year, a marked increase from the early 2000s.

"We think the patterns of the past have changed," DEQ air-quality administrator Ali Mirzakhalili said. "We’re going to have to deal with an increased number of smoky days. The wildfire seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer and spreading farther."

The number of unhealthy-air days has risen dramatically in cities such as Bend, which recorded ten such days between 2000 and 2015 and 97 in the most recent ten-year period. Portland, once relatively spared, has seen a five-fold increase in unhealthy smoke days since 2016.

"No area in the country is protected from smoke," Mirzakhalili added, noting similar conditions from Boston to Minnesota.

Some locations reported hazardous air-quality index values; Prineville reached 439, well above the 300 threshold for health hazards. The poor conditions forced the early closure of Camp Namanu, a century-old summer camp near Mount Hood. Executive Director Gina Sander said the orange-tinged sky and unhealthy AQI made outdoor activities impossible.

Health officials warned that smoke particles can enter the lungs and bloodstream, and the Oregon Health Authority reported a recent uptick in smoke-related hospital visits.

A wind shift expected Wednesday night should begin moving smoke eastward, meteorologist Noah Alviz of the National Weather Service in Portland said, though the clearing will be gradual. Most western Oregon smoke is forecast to dissipate by Thursday night, while eastern areas may remain hazy through the weekend.