Media Contact:  Ryan Yambra, ryan.yambra@multco.us

Health Department extends mandatory wood burning restriction due to air pollution from wildfire smoke

Forecasts call for continuous wildfire smoke and poor air quality through Friday; Multnomah County requires people refrain from burning wood until advisory is lifted.  Air quality on Monday, Oct. 10 ranged between the "moderate" and "unhealthy for sensitive groups" categories in Multnomah County

Wildfire smoke from across the Pacific Northwest entered the Portland Metro area this weekend leading health officials to extend a mandatory wood burning restriction for Multnomah County residents today, Monday, Oct. 10. This restriction does not apply to cooking. Exemptions are available for those in emergency situations.

Today, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has also issued an air quality advisory for continuous smoke in the Portland metro area. Conditions are expected to vary with intermittent smoke getting trapped in our area through Friday.

Health officials will be monitoring the situation with County partners. The air quality burn restriction will be lifted when conditions improve. Burn restrictions are posted at multco.us/woodsmokestatus . This is the second wood-burning restriction this month – also called a red day – and the seventh since the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners extended the County’s wood smoke curtailment ordinance year-round in February 2022. 

As air quality has worsened over the last few days, the Multnomah County Health Department issued voluntary burning advisories on Oct. 7 and 8, and a mandatory burn restriction on Oct. 9. Today, Oct. 10, most of Multnomah County is in the moderate (yellow) and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) air quality index (AQI) categories. 

Protect your health and reduce pollution indoors by turning on your air filter or learn how to build one. Visit multco.us/wildfiresmoke to learn more. 

People at the greatest risk of complications from smoke exposure include pregnant women, children, people with pre-existing heart disease, people with chronic lung disease, and older individuals.

People who work outdoors are also at elevated risk. Employers should visit Oregon OSHA for requirements and recommendations to protect employee health .

Keep windows and doors closed (if temperatures allow). If it is too hot indoors, seek cooler indoor air. 

When air quality improves and reaches the yellow or green level on the Air Quality Index, even temporarily, air out your home to reduce indoor air pollution. People in homes that are too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, or who are at-risk of smoke-related health effects, should seek shelter elsewhere.

The symptoms of wildfire smoke most reported include scratchy throat, stinging or watery eyes, stuffy nose, sinus irritation, coughing, trouble breathing, and tiredness or dizziness.

Mild symptoms of smoke exposure often include:

Dry cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing are common to both wildfire smoke exposure and COVID-19. Contact your doctor if you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

ut smoke exposure can also cause serious and life-threatening respiratory distress, including heart attacks and strokes. If you’re in distress, you should immediately dial 9-1-1.

To find air quality information visit: 

If you can’t access AQI information, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality shares this 5-3-1 visibility index to help estimate smoke levels:

Healthy people affected by smoke may have only mild symptoms. But healthy people may also have underlying health conditions that put them at risk. Listen to your body’s cues:

If your eyes are burning, if your throat is sore, if your lungs are having a hard time expanding, if you are coughing, stay inside and focus on creating a “Clean Room” where the air is as clean as possible.

To report a suspected violation of a mandatory burn restriction and smoke from a recreational fire, contact Multnomah County Environmental Health:

Stay Informed of wood burning restrictions: 

© 2022 | Multnomah County General Information Line: 503-823-4000