LANE COUNTY – The American Lung Association (ALA) recently gave Lane County an “F” for air quality in its annual State of the Air report.
While Lane County’s air quality has steadily improved over the last 20 years when it comes to pollution from everyday sources like wood stoves and vehicles, that progress is being overshadowed by the impact from smoke caused by severe wildfire seasons, according to Matt Sorensen, public affairs manager for The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA). The agency monitors air quality and enforces air pollution regulations.
The ALA grades metropolitan areas using the worst air quality readings recorded anywhere within that county. For the Eugene-Springfield metro area, this includes data from all eight of LRAPA’s monitoring stations across the county, including the Oakridge station.
Due to its location in a deep valley, local wood smoke, and frequent large wildfire events, Oakridge regularly experiences some of the worst particulate matter pollution levels in the county. In 2022, Oakridge residents faced 37 days of unhealthy air quality or worse due to wildfire smoke. That same year, Eugene-Springfield recorded three days.
“This grade reflects a real challenge. Wildfire smoke is the biggest threat to air quality in the Pacific Northwest, and Lane County residents have seen it firsthand,” Sorensen said. “Our focus is giving residents the information and tools they need to protect themselves from wildfire smoke, while we work to continue reducing the pollution sources we can control.”
LRAPA agreed with the ALA on the consistent application of its methodology across the United States. However, it has raised concerns with the association about whether this approach adequately reflects the geographic and environmental diversity of a large area like Lane County. Despite these concerns, Sorensen noted that no changes have been made to how grades are calculated.
He added that the result is a regional grade that reflects the worst air quality recorded anywhere in Lane County. This data can significantly overshadow day-to-day air quality conditions experienced by those living in our most populated areas.
According to LRAPA, protecting air quality and public health is its top priority, adding that if wildfire seasons continue to intensify, the health risks from wildfire smoke will remain a serious concern for Lane County residents, as will a poor ALA grade.
Residents can find current air quality conditions, health advisories, and protective actions at lrapa-or.gov or by calling 541-736-1056.
LRAPA is the local air quality protection agency for Lane County, Oregon. The agency monitors air quality, enforces air pollution regulations, and works with community partners to protect public health and the environment.
