Salem, Portland under air quality advisory until Monday night

Tracy Loew, Salem Statesman Journal
·1 min read
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The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Monday for Salem and the Portland metro area due to elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog.

DEQ officials said they expected ozone pollution to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups by Monday afternoon.

Sensitive groups include children, people over 65, pregnant people and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health officials recommend those groups limit outdoor activities when pollution levels are high.

Oregon ranks air quality as good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous.

The Willamette Valley has been subject to an increasing number of air quality advisories over the past few years, many related to wildfire smoke.

Salem had its first “unhealthy” air day on record in 2014, when smoke from multiple wildfires settled over the city. That increased to two days in 2015, two in 2017, and four in 2018. In 2020. Salem recorded 11 unhealthy air days, including seven that were considered “hazardous.”

High temperatures and low winds also can increase air pollution, by combining with pollution from cars, gas-powered engines and chemicals in paint and aerosols.

That’s what was happening on Monday.

DEQ is urging residents to limit activities that cause pollution during heat waves. Recommendations include:

  • Limit driving by using public transit, carpooling or other alternative transportation.

  • Avoid unnecessary engine idling.

  • Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours.

  • Postpone mowing the lawn or using leaf blowers.

  • Postpone painting and aerosol spray projects.

Current air quality conditions and advisories can be found on DEQ’s Air Quality Index at https://ordeq.org/oregonair or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on a smartphone.

Tracy Loew is a reporter at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Smog prompts air quality pollution warning for Salem, Portland