Air quality drops across Southern Oregon - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Air quality drops across Southern Oregon Tuesday Aug 29, 2017 at 12:13 PM Aug 29, 2017 at 12:13 PM Local report The Rogue Valley's air quality hit the skids over the past 24 hours for cities from Grants Pass to Ashland. With the valley ringed by fires burning in every direction on the compass, the air in seven Southern Oregon locations registered "unhealthy." Shady Cove, which is affected by fires burning to the north and east, had the worst air over the 24-hour period ending at noon today, with an Air Quality Index reading of 178 for the 24 hours and 161 between 11 a.m. and noon. AQI readings of 151 to 200 are considered unhealthy; 101 to 150 are unhealthy for sensitive groups. According to the Department of Environmental Quality, when air quality hits the "unhealthy" level, "Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects." Other readings in Southern Oregon were (24 hours/single hour): Ashland — 159/116 Medford — 168/137 Provolt — 154/131 Grants Pass — 174/110 Shady Cove — 178/161 Klamath Falls — 171/127 Roseburg — 158/95