Thousands of Americans have been told to evacuate their homes and millions more have been warned to shut their windows as a massive air quality emergency blankets several US states. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued air quality alerts for large portions of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state, urging residents to take action as dangerous wildfires rage across the Pacific Northwest this week. At least 6,000 people in central and eastern Oregon received a ‘Go Now!’ evacuation order Tuesday night after major fires were sparked by lightning storms across the region. Fires currently cover over 1.5 million acres in the state, officials revealed.
The major wildfires in both Oregon and Washington have now spread massive plumes of toxin-filled smoke across the region, sending pollution levels into the ‘unhealthy’ and ‘very unhealthy’ zones in all five states. NWS officials warned: ‘Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems.’ ‘Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition.’ Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, which consists of microscopic particles of toxic compounds, small enough to penetrate human tissue and cause breathing issues.
