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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Environmental officials are warning thousands of people in Central Oregon of symptoms such as burning eyes and runny noses as wildfire smoke causes unhealthy air quality this weekend.
Why It Matters
Myriad air quality alerts have been issued across the U.S. as smoke from Canadian wildfires descends across the states. Most of the warnings have been issued in the Upper Midwest. However, four wildfires are currently burning in Oregon, and the flames are causing smoke to impact parts of the state through Monday night, according to an air quality alert from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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Newsweek reached out to the Oregon DEQ by email for comment.
What to Know
The Oregon DEQ issued the air quality alert on Friday morning. It is scheduled to remain in effect through 9 p.m. local time on Monday.
Impacted areas include Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties, including the cities of Prineville, Post, Paulina, Bend, Redmond, Sunriver, Sisters, La Pine, Brothers, Madras, Warm Springs and Culver.
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"A Smoke Air Quality Advisory has been issued," the alert said. "Wildfires burning in the region combined with forecasted conditions will cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels."
Smoke can cause symptoms such as burning eyes and a runny nose, as well as aggravate more serious issues, such as heart and lung diseases.
The advisory said the smoke was caused by the Flat fire, which is burning roughly 3 miles west of Lake Billy Chinook. It ignited on Thursday afternoon and has since spread to 3,300 acres. The cause behind the fire is still under investigation.
The most updated air quality monitoring for the region should have an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 176 near Sisters, Oregon. This level is considered "unhealthy." However, the website oregonsmoke.org detected the AQI at 281 in Sisters and surrounding communities. An AQI of 281 is considered "very unhealthy."
What People Are Saying
Air quality advisory in place for Oregon: "Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition."
Central Oregon Fire Info website for the Flat fire: "Hot and dry conditions persist across Central Oregon, sustaining active fire behavior on the Flat Fire. Smoke is expected to linger in the area, with impacts varying throughout the day depending on wind direction. These conditions will continue to challenge firefighting efforts and may affect visibility and air quality for nearby residents."
What Happens Next
Firefighters will continue fighting the fire. The air quality advisory is set to remain in effect until Monday night.
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