The Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued an Air Quality Alert (AQA) for Cascade, Glacier, Lewis & Clark, Pondera, and Teton counties until 9 a.m. Thursday. This advisory does not apply to lands within Indian reservation boundaries or to activities associated with fire suppression.
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According to the DEQ, air quality was unhealthy Tuesday for sensitive populations in Central Oregon, including Redmond and Sisters; southwest Oregon, including Medford, Ashland and Shady Cove; Eastern Oregon, including Ontario; and northeastern Oregon, including Baker City, La Grande and Pendleton. That includes campfires, recreational fires, weed burning and residential burning. That’s from a four stage scale the DEQ uses to define progressively more serious air quality events. Each stage has more restrictions designed to help improve 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. Unhealthy includes that group, along with the elderly and children.
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To reduce exposure, the department recommends limiting outdoor exertion, such as exercise.
