The air around Oakridge is now being tested for the presence of toxic pollutants.
In early July, the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency moved one of its two air toxics monitors to Oakridge. The idea, said LRAPA spokesperson Travis Knudsen, is to put the monitor in a part of the county that’s susceptible to seasonal wildfire smoke.
“Places like the Oregon Health Authority would appreciate seeing that data to have a better understanding of what is some of the air toxics in wildfire smoke that all Lane County residents and all Oregonians are exposed to during wildfire season,” he said.
Knudsen said the monitor will also measure for the effect of woodstove smoke during the winter. He said it will likely stay in Oakridge for about 18 months before a possible move to Springfield. Prior to being moved to Oakridge, the monitor was located in Amazon Park in Eugene for several years.
A separate air toxics monitor is still in place in an industrial part of West Eugene, with no plans to relocate it.