The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for the Portland metro area due to wildfire smoke.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory on Monday for the Portland metro area and several surrounding counties. The advisory was prompted by wildfire smoke from Central Washington and Oregon, which has degraded air quality to ans orange level, making it unhealthy for sensitive groups. Forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Portland office indicate that smoke and haze will likely continue impacting the area through Wednesday or Thursday. The poor air quality is a result of significant wildfire activity in the Pacific Northwest, where over 2 million acres have burned this season. In response to the smoke and heat, the Multnomah County Health Department issued a mandatory wood-burning restriction effective at noon on Monday. This ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including backyard fire pits and woodstoves, though indoor wood burning for cooking remains permitted. The advisory is expected to last until at least Tuesday afternoon.