There’s good news for some ORCAA communities. For Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties, onshore winds should clear out the wildfire smoke that plagued us through the weekend. But for the communities nearer to Puget Sound and Hood Canal, a prevailing north wind will continue to push smoke into the area. As a result, the National Weather Service – working closely with ORCAA and other local air agencies – has extended the Air Quality Advisory for Thurston and Mason Counties, as well as the eastern ends of Clallam and Jefferson Counties. The AQA will remain in effect through Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022.
In the interest of public health and safety, all residents are asked to refrain from both indoor and outdoor burning. In addition to minimizing the use of woodstoves and fireplaces, ORCAA asks homeowners to use alternative means of disposal to clean up their yards. Chipping and composting are the best options, though other alternatives to burning are also available. You can find more details on the options by calling your local waste disposal company.
ORCAA staff will monitor the situation continually and report updated news as it develops. But residents can also keep an eye on ORCAA’s air monitoring network and plan their activities on those real-time readings. When local air quality monitors show elevated PM pollution levels, anyone with breathing difficulties or existing cardiovascular issues should stay indoors when possible and take additional precautions as warranted. Anyone experiencing breathing difficulties should consult with their health care providers.
Visit the ORCAA’s air quality monitoring network.
To address concerns about the health impacts of wildfire smoke, and how best to cope with these events in a healthful manner, visit the Washington Department of Health (DOH) Wildfire Smoke website.
For more information on wildfire smoke origins and movement, visit the Washington Smoke Blog.
Finally, another great tool for monitoring current air quality is the new Air Quality Washington app. The AirQualityWA app, available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, provides real-time data about air quality conditions throughout the state. The app draws on the data streaming from all the monitoring stations in Washington, including those operated by ORCAA within its six-county jurisdiction.
Download the app
Apple iOS: Air Quality WA – iOS
Google Android: Air Quality WA – Android
