October 10, 2022
Monday, October 10, 2022
Media contact: Ryan Yambra, ryan.yambra@multco.us
Health Department extends mandatory wood burning restrictions due to air pollution from wildfire smoke
Forecasts call for continued wildfire smoke and poor air quality through Friday; Multnomah County asks that people refrain from burning wood until the advisory is lifted.
Wildfire smoke from across the Pacific Northwest entered the Portland metro area this weekend, prompting health officials to extend a mandatory restriction of wood burning for Multnomah County residents today, Monday, October 10. This restriction does not apply to cooking. Exceptions are available for those in emergency situations.
Today, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has also issued an air quality advisory for persistent smoke in the Portland metro area. Conditions are expected to change with intermittent smoke trapped in our area through Friday.
Health officials will monitor the situation with District partners. The air quality burn restriction will be lifted when conditions improve. Burning restrictions are posted at multco.us/woodsmokestatus. This is the second wood burning restriction this month — also called a red day — and the seventh since the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners extended county wood smoke abatement ordinance throughout the year in February 2022.
As air quality has worsened over the past few days, the Multnomah County Health Department issued voluntary burn advisories on October 7th and 8th and a mandatory burning restriction on October 9th. Today, October 10, most of Multnomah County is in the air quality index (AQI) categories of moderate (yellow) and unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange).
Protect your health and reduce indoor pollution by turning on your own air filter or learning how to build one. Visit multco.us/wildfiresmoke to learn more.
People at risk
People at greatest risk of complications from smoke exposure include pregnant women, children, people with pre-existing heart disease, people with chronic lung disease, and elderly individuals.
People who work outside are also at high risk. Employers should visit Oregon OSHA for requirements and recommendations to protect the health of employees.
What you should do
Keep windows and doors closed (temperatures permitting). If it’s too hot inside, look for cooler indoor air.
- If you spend time outdoors, avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
- If available, install AC to recirculate the air, use an air purifier with a HEPA filter, or build your own DIY air purifier.
- Listen to your body and watch for symptoms of smoke exposure.
- Keep an eye on the air quality near you (links to air quality maps below or on our website.)
When air quality improves and reaches the yellow or green level on the Air Quality Index, even temporarily, ventilate your home to reduce indoor air pollution. People in homes that are too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, or who are at risk of smoke-related health effects, should seek shelter elsewhere.
Know the symptoms
The most commonly reported fire smoke symptoms include a scratchy throat, stinging or watery eyes, stuffy nose, sinus irritation, cough, trouble breathing, and fatigue or dizziness.
Mild symptoms of smoke exposure often include:
- cough
- Headache
- Burning eyes
- Sore throat
- Phlegm production
- Changes in breathing
A dry cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing are common for both fire smoke exposure and COVID-19. Contact your doctor if you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Exposure to smoke can also cause serious and life-threatening respiratory problems, including heart attacks and strokes. If you are in distress, you should call 9-1-1 immediately.
Air quality measurement
To find information on air quality visit:
- Oregon Smoke Blog: Local, state, tribal and federal organizations coordinate to share information about fires and smoke.
- Oregon air quality map: State Department of Environmental Quality updates a map of current air quality. Due to high traffic, the site may slow down or crash. The following sites offer good alternatives.
- EPA Air Quality Map: The US Environmental Protection Agency pulls real-time air quality data from Oregon and Washington States.
- Oregon State Fire Map: The Oregon Office of Emergency Management updates a map of active wildfires, air quality and closures.
Visibility
If you cannot access AQI information, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality shares this 5-3-1 visibility index to help estimate smoke levels:
- Five miles: air quality is generally good.
- Three to five miles: air quality is unhealthy for young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other respiratory conditions.
- Less than three miles: air quality is unhealthy for everyone.
- Less than a mile: the air quality is unhealthy for everyone.
Your body
Healthy people affected by smoke may have only mild symptoms. But healthy people can also have underlying health conditions that put them at risk. Listen to your body’s signals:
If your eyes burn, if your throat hurts, if your lungs are having a hard time expanding, if you cough, stay inside and focus on creating a “Clean Room” where the air is as clean as possible.
Wood burning violations
To report a suspected violation of a mandatory burning and smoke restriction from a recreational fire, contact Multnomah Environmental Health:
Stay informed about wood burning restrictions:
##
