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FAQ: Manage Central Oregon air pollution when the AQI spikes ... - The Bulletin

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FAQ: Manage Central Oregon air pollution when the AQI spikes | Bend | bendbulletin.com

The hazy, smoke-filled skies that have cloaked Central Oregon in recent summers are a phenomenon that area residents are just beginning to understand and navigate.

When smoke pours into the region from wildfires, it cancels outdoor events, impacting the economy. There are also short- and long-term health impacts for those who are exposed to smoke for extended periods of time. Knowing what to do and when it’s safe to go outside can sometimes be a guessing game.

Traffic and pedestrians travel through the smoke Sept. 11, 2020, at Third Street and Greenwood Avenue in Bend.

Bulletin file

Wildfires in the summer of 2017 produce heavy smoke that blanketed the Deschutes River in Bend.

Mike Gordon/Bulletin file

Undaunted by heavy smoke, a surfer carves a turn at the Bend Whitewater Park in September 2020.

Bulletin file

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