Bendites woke up to thick smoke blanketing the city on Thursday.
Smoke from nearby prescribed burns in the Deschutes National Forest, meant to prevent severe wildfires in the future, caused air quality to dip into very unhealthy or hazardous levels overnight and into the early morning.
The burns were part of the West Bend Prescribed Fire Pilot project, said Jaimie Olle, a Deschutes National Forest representative with the U.S. Forest Service. Firefighters burned 468 acres on Wednesday.
The forest service will burn up to 3,000 acres of forest located within the wildland-urban interface as part of the pilot.
The project is part of a national effort to mitigate catastrophic wildfires.
While the smoke does ease up throughout the day, it can resettle when the temperatures drop at night, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters said weather patterns for the next two days won’t help clear out the smoke completely. However, change may come when significant westerly winds and potential rain storms start to move in over the weekend.
Deschutes County public health officials advise people to keep doors and windows closed and avoid strenuous activities outside until the air improves.
They also encourage people to use air filters inside homes, wear N-95 masks or similar, if possible, and stay hydrated. More information about staying healthy during smoky days can be found at CentralOregonFire.org/protect-your-health.
Prescribed burn season is the best time to get yourself and home “smoke ready” for wildfire season, said Sarah Worthington, climate and health coordinator for Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties.
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