As the State continues fighting Oregon fires, the Bureau of Land Management has temporarily closed all recreation sites and some roads In Northwestern Oregon (Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties) through September 30th.
It’s understandable why the Bureau of Land Management has temporarily closed recreation sites because more than 20 active fires are raging across the state and close to 1 million acres have been burned.
With many of the fires burning land that’s managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the goal is to keep a close watch on public land over the coming weeks so that fire suppression crews can quickly respond to new fires so that they don’t get out of control.
Oregon Fires Lead To Poor Air Quality
If you live in Oregon, or are planning on visiting in the coming days, you should consider bringing a facemask that has a built-in respirator because air quality remains poor across much of the state.
Thankfully, air quality has returned to normal along the coast, especially in the town of Florence, but much of the state continues to have bad air quality ratings due to Oregon fires, especially in areas where fires are still active.
Before heading outside, it’s best to check your phone to see what the air quality is supposed to be for the day, or you can view an interactive map that shows Oregon’s air quality in real-time.
Storm System Will Help To Clear The Air Across Much Of The State
What’s the best way to clear smoky air? The answer is a storm. The good news is that there is an offshore system that’s moving inland and it’s expected to start thinning much of the smoke across Portland and Western Oregon starting tonight.
The good news is that we should see the smoke thinning out by Friday and with the first day of fall coming on Tuesday, we’re hopeful that another storm will be coming soon to further clean the air and improve breathing conditions for everyone after the Oregon fires.
Have you been affected by the fires in Oregon? Leave us a comment on this post and let us know.