Air quality alert extended to Tuesday afternoon

Smoke in the air makes the setting sun appear red enough to be a third stoplight at the intersection of Tolman Creek Road and Ashland Street at about 7 p.m. Sunday when the AQI reading at the Ashland Fire Department was about 171, according to the EPA. Ashland.news photo by Bert Etling
August 28, 2023

Conditions should improve both Monday and Tuesday afternoons

Ashland.news staff report

An air quality alert for much of Southern Oregon, including Ashland, was extended yet again by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on Sunday afternoon. Wildfires burning in the region will continue to cause air quality levels to fluctuate into, at times, unhealthy levels.

While the DEQ cautions that the alert may be further extended beyond 5 p.m. Tuesday, it sounds an optimistic note in that wind patterns are expected to change Monday night, and the area of the alert may change.

Ashland air quality went from bad to worse Sunday, staying in the “unhealthy” range (151-200) most of the day before worsening into the “very unhealthy range” (201-300) later in the evening, peaking at 295 at 10 p.m. Graphic from aqi.oregon.gov

A smoke forecast video posted by the Medford office of the National Weather Service shows smoke conditions in Ashland improving Monday afternoon with even more significant improvement Tuesday as prevailing winds blow smoke from the Smith River Complex and other fires more to the southeast, away from Ashland.

Firefighters gather on Highway 199 near Gasquet on Thursday to fight the Smith River Complex Fire. InciWeb photo

As of Sunday, the Smith River Complex Fire had burned 68,094 acres, mostly on the north side of Highway 199 between Grants Pass and Crescent City, which remains closed. The fire has crossed from its lightning-caused ignition location in California into Oregon southwest of Cave Junction.

Email Ashland.news at news@ashland.news.

Picture of Bert Etling

Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at betling@ashland.news.

Related Posts...

Commissioners to discuss Lithia Park master plan Wednesday

Ashland Parks and Recreation Commissioners will consider prioritizing portions of the Lithia Park Master Plan during an evening study session on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Formally adopted during the Oct. 4 APRC business meeting, the Lithia Park Masterplan identifies 37 recommendations for the park’s future.

Read More »

Voters flock to the ballot box at Ashland Public Library

Voters turned out to Ashland’s sole ballot box Tuesday morning outside the Ashland Public Library, some for the first time in their lives. The polls were open until 8 p.m. at the only ballot box in the city. Ashland police had a presence at the ballot box throughout the day and planned to stay until county election workers removed ballots from the box.

Read More »

Our Sponsors

Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon

Latest posts

Commissioners to discuss Lithia Park master plan Wednesday

Ashland Parks and Recreation Commissioners will consider prioritizing portions of the Lithia Park Master Plan during an evening study session on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Formally adopted during the Oct. 4 APRC business meeting, the Lithia Park Masterplan identifies 37 recommendations for the park’s future.

Read More >

Voters flock to the ballot box at Ashland Public Library

Voters turned out to Ashland’s sole ballot box Tuesday morning outside the Ashland Public Library, some for the first time in their lives. The polls were open until 8 p.m. at the only ballot box in the city. Ashland police had a presence at the ballot box throughout the day and planned to stay until county election workers removed ballots from the box.

Read More >

Jackson County voter participation inches toward 60% mark as election looms

One day before the Nov. 5 general election, more than half of Jackson County’s 164,463 eligible voters had returned their ballots — and counting. The Ashland ballot boxes in the alley behind the library at 410 Siskiyou Blvd. will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5. Under Oregon law, mailed ballots with a Nov. 5 or earlier postmarked will be accepted until Nov. 12.

Read More >

Parks & Recreation Commission Position 2 candidate Q&A

For the upcoming Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission election, all candidates were contacted by Ashland.news for interviews. All who responded were asked the same questions. For this article, Parks & Recreation Commission Position 2 candidates Ian Cropper, Rick Vann and Daniel Weiner say why they’re running what they’d like to get done.

Read More >

Our Sponsors

City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Oregon
Ashland.news House Ad

Explore More...

Southern Oregon Burners, a group of Burning Man participants based in Southern Oregon held a “decompression event” known as “Afterburnt” Saturday afternoon, Nov. 2, in Lithia Park. The event is aimed at fostering Burning Man connections and educating others about Burning Man principles. 
As the 2200 Ashland Street ad hoc committee faced the 11th hour of its available time to create a plan for the property, committee members wrestled with diametric opposition of perspectives and unease about uncertainty during a Wednesday evening meeting. 
The Ashland City Council will review an update on the city’s Climate Friendly Communities plan presented by Community Development Department head Brandon Goldman along with consultants from 3JConsulting, JET Planning, and EcoNorthwest who have been contracted to work with the city in developing the initiative at the Monday, Nov. 4, council study session, according to meeting materials. 
A training to help volunteers at the city of Ashland’s severe weather shelter offer trauma informed care will be held by registration only from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6. The shelter needs volunteers for this season. Those interested in learning more can contact longtime Ashland shelter volunteer coordinator Avram Sacks at 541-220-7307.
A Southern Oregon University professor has been awarded a $250,000 grant for research in artificial intelligence that’s slated to benefit not only SOU, but UCLA and Cornell University.
ashland.news logo

Subscribe to the newsletter and get local news sent directly to your inbox.

(It’s free)

Don't Miss Our Top Stories

Get our newsletter delivered to your inbox three times a week.
It’s FREE and you can cancel anytime.