Air Quality Alert Issued In Oregon County; PDX, Troutdale Airports Break Decades-Old Heat Records

KEY POINTS

Some parts of Lane County reached "hazardous" air quality levels Sunday
An Air Quality Alert is active in the county through Monday morning
Two Portland airports broke heat records Sunday

Temperatures in Oregon are on the rise as the officials warn of serious health problems wildfire-triggered smoke pollutants can bring upon the residents.

The heat is becoming a problem in the state, with two Portland airports breaking decades-old heat records Sunday.

An Air Quality Alert was issued in Lane County on Sunday as the county suffers from the polluting effects of the Cedar Creek Fire. The said Air Quality Alert is effective until Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland noted.

"Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems," the agency said.

The NWS also warned against allowing kids to step outside while the alert was active, adding outdoor activities should be limited for the time being.

Officials say dry and hot weather increased fire activity along the south edge of the Cedar Creek Fire in Oregon. With increased wind speeds and low humidity predicted for this weekend, crews expect smoke impacts to persist.https://t.co/5ZW77FgitR
— CBS4Local (@CBS4Local) October 9, 2022

Local officials said Sunday morning that hot and dry weather conditions triggered further fire activity on the south edge of the Cedar Creek Fire, local KDBC-TV reported. The said fire, which started in Lane County on Aug. 1, has since grown to more than 121,529 acres and is only 38% contained as of Sunday evening.

The air quality in Lane and a few other areas in Oregon reached "hazardous" levels Sunday, as was shown in data provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AIRNow website. In some parts of Lane County, the air quality levels also reached "unhealthy" levels.

The diminished air quality is mainly due to the Cedar Creek Fire, which has burned more than 120,000 acres in the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests.https://t.co/EzCmT7GjR4
— Brittany Falkers (@BrittanyFalkers) October 10, 2022

Meteorologist Joe Raineri said in a Twitter post that smoke and haze was not expected to clear out until Monday afternoon.

Smoke and haze continues to flood the valley this afternoon from wildfires. By Monday afternoon the smoke and haze will clear out, but the air quality remains in the moderate category. Near Eugene, an air quality warning remains in effect thru Monday afternoon. #kgw #kgwweather pic.twitter.com/qiGGuo4YrP
— Joe Raineri ☔️🎥 📺 (@JoeRaineriWX) October 9, 2022

Meanwhile, temperatures in Portland, Oregon, continue to climb as the state isn't expected to cool off until Tuesday, before reverting to hotter conditions by the end of the week.

Two airports in Portland broke decades-old heat records Sunday as Hillsboro Airport in Washington County hit 87 degrees to tie with the old record in 1936. The PDX Portland International Airport in Multnomah County breached the old record of 83 degrees set in 1996 when temperatures reached 85 degrees earlier Sunday.

PDX hit 85 degrees earlier today, which breaks the old record of 83 degrees set back in 1996.
The Troutdale Airport hit 85 degrees, which breaks the old record of 82 set back in 1996.
The Hillsboro Airport hit 87 degrees, which ties the old record of 87 degrees set back in 1936.
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) October 10, 2022

Finally, the Troutdale Airport, also in Multnomah, hit 85 degrees, breaking the 1996 record of 82 degrees, according to the NWS in Portland.

Dense Fog Advisories have also been issued in the North Oregon Coast and the Central Oregon Coast as officials warned residents of "hazardous" driving conditions. The said advisories are effective until Monday morning.