PORTLAND, Ore. — An Air Quality Advisory is in effect for Salem, Portland, Vancouver and Longview/Kelso until 8 p.m. Thursday due to elevated levels of smog from wildfire smoke and hot weather.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said the air quality Thursday afternoon could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health official recommend those who are sensitive to limit outdoor activity.
"If you come inside (to) get out of the smoke and still have shortness of breath or wheezing, you really can't catch your breath then it's appropriate to seek medical care," said Dr. Tracy Muday, executive medical director with BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.
According to KGW's Rod Hill, light northeast winds will likely veer to the west and pick up a bit, bringing clearing air quality Friday. Until then, high temperatures into the 90s may trigger increased ozone pollution, furthering air quality concerns.
Areas closer to wildfires such as the Columbia River Gorge and Cascades can expect to see more of an impact. KGW's Matt Zaffino said air quality in Portland is likely to remain moderate or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" at the worst.
"It can really affect people who have lung disease like asthma or COPD — it affects kids more than adults or elderly folks and also pregnant women because of changes that come with pregnancy they need to be extra cautious," Muday said.
KGW has issued a Weather Impact Alert Day for Thursday due to the air quality and hot weather.
To check the air quality in your area, go to the DEQ's Air Quality Index website. In the search box, type in your city, state or ZIP code. You can also use the interactive air quality map.