Summer 2017 (Bend: moving, air quality, area)

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by BendLocal

How's the smoke level in town?

I can't see Awbrey Butte from a quarter mile away this evening. Eye searing levels of smoke. I couldn't even bring myself to walk the dog around the block this evening. Interior of the house smells like a campfire.

it is BAD.
smoke1110327-082917 by Thom I, on Flickr

smoke1110331-082917 by Thom I, on Flickr

yesterday before it got really bad...
082817SmokeBend by Thom I, on Flickr

[oregonwoodsmoke]

It looks like heavy fog outside. Even inside the house, my eyes are tearing.

[Coniferian]

This would normally be a view of the Smith Rock peaks from Dry Canyon in Redmond. I walk our dog briefly in the morning (wife has asthma) and we stay indoors with the AC on all day. With temps in the triple digits and high 90s for the second summer in a row, we're thinking we should move to Washington.

[BendLocal]

Any reports on where the increase in smoke is coming from?

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by BendLocal

Any reports on where the increase in smoke is coming from?

new fires include...
Santiam pass is/was closed due to a new fire along the road west of Sisters.
Elk and Hosmer lake are now evacuated due to new fires in that camping area.
A couple of small new fires down by La Pine near Lava Butte.

Note these are all heavy tourist areas and no lightning to blame the fires on this time. Just sayin'.

We have a weather pattern stalled on us right now that is bringing on-shore wind. Wind from the West pushes the smoke directly over the Bend-Redmond-etc area.

It looks like heavy overcast and fog in Bend this morning, but its smoke. My eyes are stinging inside the sealed up house.

I have been reading the fire control reports and they are talking about letting the Milli fire burn itself out, which may produce heavy smoke for weeks yet, especially without any rain. Basically they are just protecting infrastructure and private lumber harvest land, and letting nature takes its course for the rest, as far as I can tell.

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Thom52

Elk and Hosmer lake are now evacuated due to new fires in that camping area.

Have they named that fire yet? I can't find it in the news.

[Coniferian]

Looks like twilight all day long here in Redmond.

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by BendLocal

Have they named that fire yet? I can't find it in the news.

From the U.S. Forest SErvice -Deschutes forest facebook page:
"The smoke we're experiencing in Central Oregon can be attributed to several fires burning in the Pacific Northwest. One the fires putting a lot of smoke into the air is the Nash Fire currently burning on the U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest. This fire has prompted a Level 1 evacuation notice for the areas around Elk and Hosmer Lakes. The Nash Fire will soon be managed by a Type 2 Incident Management Team that will be taking over the Milli Fire as well."

That is a good page to follow, by the way.

[Coniferian]

I bought the last large air purifier that the Redmond Lowe's had yesterday. That, plus a new filter for the home AC seems to help with the house closed up.

[darnselfly]

The hubby and I went on a road trip to Silver Falls State Park over towards Salem. The smoke was really bad through Sisters but cleared up a bit past Detroit Lake. The sky is blue and the air is clear over there. I recommend heading over for a break.

This too shall pass.