Air quality in the Portland-Vancouver area has diminished due to increasing haze from wildfires.
The Washington Smoke Information blog — a coordinated effort by county, state and federal officials to share information on smoke from wildland fires — lists Vancouver’s air quality Tuesday morning as unhealthy for sensitive groups.
People with conditions such as asthma, heart and lung diseases, children younger than 18, adults older than 65, pregnant women and cig
Air quality in the Vancouver-Portland area has diminished due to increasing haze from wildfires, and the smoke is expected to persist today.
The Washington Smoke Information blog — a coordinated effort by county, state and federal officials to share information on smoke from wildland fires — listed Vancouver’s air quality Tuesday as unhealthy for sensitive groups.
People with conditions such as asthma, heart and lung diseases, children younger than 18, adults older than 65, pregnant women and cigarette smokers are cautioned to limit their time outside.
The Washington State Department of Ecology warns that those sensitive groups may experience worsening symptoms. Even healthy individuals may start to suffer from watery or dry eyes, coughing, wheezing and throat and sinus irritation, among other ailments.
The air quality is even worse in Portland, where the air is listed as unhealthy for everyone.
And it’s bad if not worse in Northern Washington due to smoke moving south from Canada. There are other fires contributing to the conditions here, but the thick haze from Canada now covers most of the state. Fires burning north and east of Vancouver are adding to the haze, officials said.
Haze is forecast for Vancouver until Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued its own air quality advisory set to remain in effect until at least noon Wednesday.
“With light winds expected through (Wednesday), smoke will remain in the region, and will cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels at times through the morning. Conditions will gradually improve later Wednesday, though hazy skies will remain,” the advisory says.
