Local Health Official: Worst Air Quality In The World Can Be Deadly; Check Air Quality Map Here

Portland, Ore. – The Air Quality Advisory from the National Weather Service in Portland remains in effect for our area until Monday afternoon. Speaking during a news conference Sunday afternoon, Dr. Sarah Present the Clackamas County Health Officer, says the hazardous air can be deadly. She says bottom line right now is stay inside and check on loved ones who are struggling. Dr. Present explained everyone can suffer health effects from this smoke and it’s especially dangerous for most vulnerable populations – those most at risk include people with underlying heart and lung disease, the elderly, pregnant woman, children, and people with diabetes. Smokey air can also make breathing difficult for people with asthma and COPD. She says they’re concerned about the small particles in that grey smokey air, that can sneak past the human body’s defense system like nasal hairs, and get deeper into the lungs.

Watch Dr. Sarah Present here:

The metro area’s air quality has been in the hazardous range all weekend. Click here to check the current air quality in Oregon.

Here’s what the map looked like at 4pm on Sunday afternoon:

Weather forecasters are hoping we start to see some smoke clearing and a chance of rain with the next system coming in Monday evening.