Air quality worsening in the valleys (Portland, Medford: apartment, appliances, house)

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

Fire Season is Oregon's unofficial fifth season, sitting right in between summer and autumn. I thought me might get off easy this year, but the Rogue Valley is starting to fill up with smoke from the High Cascades Complex and Shadow Lake fire. This is one of the liabilities of the Ashland-Medford-Grants Pass area: it's a low point that can suck in air from all four compass points and keep it parked in a stagnant reservoir that we're forced to breathe. These next couple of weeks are going to be trying. I'm almost ready for it to start raining already. Might be a good week to head for the coast.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

Fire Season is Oregon's unofficial fifth season, sitting right in between summer and autumn. I thought me might get off easy this year, but the Rogue Valley is starting to fill up with smoke from the High Cascades Complex and Shadow Lake fire. This is one of the liabilities of the Ashland-Medford-Grants Pass area: it's a low point that can suck in air from all four compass points and keep it parked in a stagnant reservoir that we're forced to breathe. These next couple of weeks are going to be trying. I'm almost ready for it to start raining already. Might be a good week to head for the coast.

I am in Portland and we have also been getting some of that smokey air. I for one am looking forward to the rain coming to clear the air and help put out the fires.

[Silverfall]

I was out in Central Oregon this weekend and there was a fire burning right outside Sisters. It reminded me of why I like to visit but not live out that way.

[wanderbygrace]

I drive down OR 212 (SE of PDX) daily, and on clear days, there is a direct & awesome view of Mt. Hood. Despite numerous sunny days lately, I haven't seen her for a good week now with all the smoke.

That area has been choked w/downright smoggy conditions lately, although we've only had one really bad day of our entire neighborhood (near the 212/224 split) smelling of smoke.

They're saying we're supposed to get a change in wind direction in the next couple of days - hopefully it'll blow all the smoke & smog back on the other side of the Cascades (sorry for you guys over there, though).

[wanderbygrace]

As a follow-up, as I drove down 212 this evening on my commute, you could faintly see Hood. If you didn't know where to look, you'd probably have missed here, though.

[wanderbygrace]

Jeramie, if one doesn't have A/C, those can be 3-4 hellacious weeks when you have to close up your house w/90+ degree temps.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by Jeramie D

This is literally a 3-4 week season. I wouldn't define an area by what you see once a year for a very brief period.

I've lived in Oregon for 20 years. I don't define the area by wildfires but is it one of many reasons I could never live out that way. It's too dry for me being another reason, and it being too hot a third. I could go on. Love to visit there though.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by wanderbygrace

Jeramie, if one doesn't have A/C, those can be 3-4 hellacious weeks when you have to close up your house w/90+ degree temps.

I agree with Jeramie D. I don't have A/C. Never would in Bend, honestly. My home temperature has not once edged over 73 degrees this entire summer. The nighttime temps drop in the 40's and low 50's.....all you have to do is close up your house at 8-9am, trapping the 50 degree air then open the house up near 7pm. Sometimes, even, 8am is too early, and when we get back from work at 5:30 (the warmest part of the day) the house is still in the low 60's which is TOO cold. Figure that.

With respect to the rest of the USA, this part of the country is very cool, not hot by any measure.

The smoke is another story. I admit there have been, honestly, 4 days this summer where I haven't wanted to go outside and exercise due to the excess of smoke (yes we've had more days with smoke in Bend, but I'm talking days where it is truly bad). On those days, I've traveled 30 mins east and/or west and escaped it without a problem. Also, I don't think I can remember a night this entire summer where the smoke in Bend was bad at night. No clue why....always braced myself on the smokey days for a sleepless night that never came. Guess the winds shift that much at dusk?

Note: I am very sensitive to the smoke. My eyes dry out and get headaches.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Jeramie D

You must have some quality construction materials, because that is not at all what happens in any non-AC house I've lived in. We do exactly what you do, and this past week the evening temps in the house get up to 80. It hasn't been paradise.

That said, you're right, A/C is not life or death in Bend. In a few weeks, we won't miss it, and the A/C will be unnecessary until at least June, if not July.

It's possible. My home was built in 1996. I think it has more to do with my tree coverage than anything else. My trees shade much of the house throughout the late afternoon, luckily. I suppose I'm the exception rather than the rule.

Unless one is elderly, owns a business or has some physical alignment, A/C in Bend is an over the top luxury. If you want it, that is totally acceptable and I fully support you, but you could be considered a bit of a lush when one considers the number of days we get 85 degree + weather. It's tough to hear about peoples huge A/C bill when they're having a tough time finding a job that will pay for it.

[Lunar Delta]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

I agree with Jeramie D. I don't have A/C. Never would in Bend, honestly. My home temperature has not once edged over 73 degrees this entire summer. The nighttime temps drop in the 40's and low 50's.....all you have to do is close up your house at 8-9am, trapping the 50 degree air then open the house up near 7pm. Sometimes, even, 8am is too early, and when we get back from work at 5:30 (the warmest part of the day) the house is still in the low 60's which is TOO cold. Figure that.

With respect to the rest of the USA, this part of the country is very cool, not hot by any measure.

The smoke is another story. I admit there have been, honestly, 4 days this summer where I haven't wanted to go outside and exercise due to the excess of smoke (yes we've had more days with smoke in Bend, but I'm talking days where it is truly bad). On those days, I've traveled 30 mins east and/or west and escaped it without a problem. Also, I don't think I can remember a night this entire summer where the smoke in Bend was bad at night. No clue why....always braced myself on the smokey days for a sleepless night that never came. Guess the winds shift that much at dusk?

Note: I am very sensitive to the smoke. My eyes dry out and get headaches.

Makes me wonder what kind of appliances and such you have in your house. I know I could not possibly leave my room closed up or uncooled at any time of the year. The computer can heat the room up to over 90 in under an hour.

The rest of the apartment easily goes over 80, even with everything non-essential shut off.