A burn ban is in effect for some Oregon cities.
Cold temperatures, stagnant air and a meteorological phenomenon known as an inversion are responsible for an air quality warning in most of Oregon that will be in effect until Sunday, Jan. 4. Residents of southern, central and eastern Oregon, including the cities of Bend, Klamath Falls, Pendleton and Medford, are affected by the advisory. Portland, the Willamette Valley and the coast are the only areas not covered by the advisory.
An inversion happens when a cool, dense air mass gets trapped under a warmer, denser air mass, causing smoke and other harmful particles and pollution to get trapped close to the ground. Usually, the air closest to the ground is the warmest, allowing hot polluted air to escape to the upper reaches of the atmosphere, but in the case of an inversion, this air has nowhere to go. Inversions are common on the West Coast, but usually happen in areas that are better-known for pollution, such as Southern California.
Reacting to these unusual conditions, the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency issued a burn ban for Oakridge on New Year's day, with the potential for a ban in Eugene if conditions don't improve soon. Residents of any of the areas included in the air quality warning are encouraged not to burn any wood unless it's necessary to heat their homes, since the smoke will become trapped by the inversion and worsen conditions. Smoke pollution aggravates lung problems like asthma and bronchitis, so residents with breathing problems are encouraged to remain indoors as much as possible.
If you live in an area with frequent inversions and have asthma or other breathing difficulties, one of the best things you can do for your health is to purchase a home air purifier. Contact US Air Purifiers for more information.