Air Quality Alert
An Air quality alert has been issued for Lane county for today. The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency says air quality can worsen through the day today, but the majority of the issue is in eastern Lane County and not expected to have a significant effect on the coastal areas. However, you should take precautions if conditions worsen through the day. Fires throughout the state are making air quality an issue throughout. A group of fires in the Umpqua National forest are causing the air quality conditions for Lane County while ODF is having to move crews due to staffing from some fires to care for larger fires. While the Durkee fire in eastern Oregon is now considered 80% contained and has burned over 295,000 acres.
New Traffic Pattern Begins Today
The Traffic pattern for the Rhododendron realignment project changes today. Access to the Oregon Coast Humane Society and the County Transfer Station will now be accessed from the 35th street end of the project. There will no longer be access from the 9th street end of construction. This is a hard closure as reported by the City of Florence and no vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic will be allowed access from Wildwinds to New Hope Lane. There is also new traffic signage at the 35th street and Rhododendron Drive which now requires a 3-way stop for all traffic.
Wildfire Effects
Wildfires have burned across Oregon this year, but a few tips could help people protect themselves against their damaging impacts. Fires have burned more than a million acres so far this year, in what has become an annual occurrence for Oregon. Scott Leonard with Energy Trust of Oregon says smoke from wildfires has consequences for people’s health. He says it’s important to keep unhealthy air out by closing gaps around windows and doors, and sealing around air conditioners.
“People know what it’s like to have a drafty house. So if you’re feeling drafts, you can do things like add weather stripping to keep the smoke from drifting into your house, making sure just really that there’s a seal on any kind of crack or gap in the shell of the home.”
Blaire Campbell with Western Lane Fire and EMS says when fires occur they will come and create a defensible space around structures.
“so we go through and remove plants and brush and I know it’s decorative but we will remove all that stuff away from the house far enough to be able to save your home.”
Campbell also says that part of the plan is replacing that growth after the fire is out.