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Air Pollution Advisories

DEQ issues air quality advisories to encourage residents to take precautions to safeguard their health and to reduce pollution.

Find active advisories on DEQ's online Air Quality Index or on the free OregonAir app for smartphones. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for wildfires advisory details.
In the summer, DEQ issues advisories for ozone, commonly called smog, and for particulate matter, the main ingredient in wildfire smoke.
 
In the winter, DEQ issues advisories for particulate matter, for any area of the state when cold temperatures and stagnant air cause particle pollution levels to rise. Many local jurisdictions issue wood-burning restrictions in the winter, limiting the use of wood stoves, fireplaces and outdoor fire pits. There are often exceptions for those who use wood exclusively to heat their homes and those with limited income. Check with your local heath or air agency for current restrictions

stay connected Sign up for text or email alerts about air pollution 
 View current air quality conditions online or by searching for OregonAir on your smart phone.

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Particulate Matter, the main ingredient in wildfire smoke, is a mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Sources include woodstoves, fires, wind-blown dust, automobiles, and industry.
 
When DEQ issues an advisory for wildfire smoke, health officials encourage residents to:
 
  • Reduce time spent outdoors when smoke is present. 
  • Use an indoor high-efficiency air filter (HEPA) or electrostatic precipitator in your home to help create one or more rooms with cleaner air to breathe. 
  • Set your air conditioning or heating unit to recycle or recirculate when at home or in your car. 
  • Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. 
  • Reduce other sources of indoor smoke and dust, including: burning cigarettes, candles, gas or propane ranges, wood burning stoves and furnaces, and vacuuming. 
  • Reduce the time you engage in vigorous outdoor activity. 
  • If you have heart or lung disease or respiratory illnesses such as asthma, follow your health care provider’s advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms. 
  • Consider maximizing time in air-conditioned homes or buildings during smoky periods or visit public, air-conditioned places such as libraries, community centers, senior centers, restaurants, and retailers for relief from smoke. 

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Smog forms when hot temperatures and low winds combine with pollution from cars, gas-powered engines and chemicals in paints and aerosols. 

Officials urge residents to protect their health and limit activities that cause pollution. Recommendations include: 

  • Limit driving by using public transit, carpooling or other alternative transportation 
  • Avoid unnecessary engine idling 
  • Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours 
  • Don't use gas-powered mowers or yard equipment 
  • Don't paint or use aerosol sprays 

Smog irritates the eyes, nose and lungs, and contributes to breathing problems, reduced lung function and asthma. Consult your health care provider if these symptoms worsen. 

DEQ and health officials recommend that children, pregnant women, asthma sufferers, those with lung or heart conditions and adults age 65 and older limit outdoor activity. Pollution levels tend to be highest during afternoon and early evening.

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​​Air Quality Index

Residents can view current air quality conditions at DEQ’s Air Quality Index, which shows data from more than 37 air quality monitors around the state. To use the index, simply click on a dot on the map to see what air quality is like at a station near you. The dots on the map change color depending on the current air quality readings at each station. The index is also available on smart phones by searching for OregonAir in your app store. 
 

The Oregon Smoke Blog

The Oregon Smoke Blog has an air quality map that includes temporary monitors close to specific fires, daily smoke forecasts for specific areas, and other resources. Visit the Oregon Smoke Blog for more information. 
 

Local air quality advisories

Certain jurisdictions in Oregon and Washington issue their own air advisories.