Smoky skies throughout Oregon affect air quality

He said a good visual test is if you can’t see the East Ridge because of smoke in the air, then consider the air quality as unhealthy. It can therefor lead to an increase risk in heart attacks and strokes, something not often associated with bad air quality.

The Clark County Department of Air Quality extended an advisory through Friday, warning that the fire could elevate smoke and ozone levels in the Las Vegas area. “We really need a strong western wind that flushes all of this out and I’m not seeing that in the near future”, said Donna Spangler with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

When air quality is rated as “unhealthy”, health officials recommend that people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exertion; everyone else should limit prolonged exertion. This means many more people than average may have breathing problems or have worsened symptoms of existing lung or heart disease.

This air quality alert will be reevaluated at noon on Thursday, August 20.

Incline is above the smoke and has not had to cancel outdoor activities yet. That applies especially to school gym classes and athletic practices.

Agricultural dust storms have blown over the region numerous times, and there were some severe ones over the years, he said.

People have been calling 911 with concerns about smoke in the region, the Spokane Fire Department said in a news release. Heavy smoke settled into many stretches of Interstate 90 and other highways in the area.

Elevated concentrations of wildfire smoke is causing unhealthy air quality in Central and Eastern Washington.