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Matt Sorensen reports poor air quality in Lane County due to wildfire smoke from the Austin Fire.

Matt Sorensen of the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency reported that wildfire smoke from the Austin Fire caused a sudden deterioration in air quality across the Willamette Valley on Monday. The Austin Fire, located southeast of Estacada in the Mt. Hood National Forest, has burned approximately 11,000 acres and produced a large column of smoke. Winds pushed this smoke over the Cascades, resulting in poor air quality for residents in Lane County and surrounding areas. Air quality sensors near Estacada reported conditions ranging from unhealthy for sensitive groups to hazardous. In Portland, the air quality index reached 184, placing it in the unhealthy range and ranking the city as the second most polluted major city in the world on Monday night. Officials recommend that residents minimize smoke exposure by closing windows and using air purifiers to maintain clean indoor air. Air quality is expected to improve on Tuesday as southwesterly winds push smoke toward the northeast, with rain expected to arrive by Wednesday to further clear the remaining smoke.

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