Unhealthy Air Quality Disrupts Community Events

Smokey conditions in the Rogue Valley are disrupting community events. On Tuesday, the Centennial Golf Club canceled the first day of the American Junior Golf Association tournament because of the haze. It’s been postponed until Wednesday.

The smokey air is a product of wildfires burning throughout the state. Air quality experts say we can expect the unhealthy air conditions as long as the fires keep burning, and the wind keeps blowing.

“Particularly in the evenings, we have what are called drainage winds, so a lot like water, as the air cools down in the evening, the air basically flows down the valleys and pools there,” Mike McGown said, an environmental scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency. “So if there’s any smoke being produced in the mountains, and that’s generally where the fires are, that smokes going to come down.”

While the smoke is still thick in the air, medical experts say young children, elderly adults, and people who already live with respiratory health problems should stay indoors as much as possible. For the latest air quality conditions, click here.

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