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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... SMOKE Rogue Valley's air quality worsens as wildfires burn north and south Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 10:27 AM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 10:11 AM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 10:27 AM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 10:11 AM --> How bad is the air? Judge for yourself Want to assess air pollution levels outside? It's as easy as 5-3-1.  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said the 5-3-1 vis... » Read more X How bad is the air? Judge for yourself Want to assess air pollution levels outside? It's as easy as 5-3-1.  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said the 5-3-1 visibility index is a simple way to gauge the severity of unhealthy air.  5:  If you can see about five miles — the approximate distance from the Medford Commons to the top of Roxy Ann Peak as the crow flies — the air quality is then unhealthy for young children, adults over the age of 65, pregnant women, people with heart or lung disease, asthma or respiratory illness. Those groups should minimize outdoor activity. 3:  If you can see only three miles in front of you, the air quality is unhealthy for everyone. At-risk groups should not just minimize outdoor activity, but avoid it completely. 1: If visibility is down to one mile, the air quality is very unhealthy, and possibly hazardous. Everyone should avoid going outdoors.  5-15:  If visibility is between 5 and 15 miles, air quality has begun to deteriorate, and pollution levels are at "moderate." The air is generally acceptable to breathe, except for those sensitive to smoke. If visibility is more than 15 miles, the air quality is generally good. » Social News Unhealthy levels of smoke from wildfires burning north and south are expected to continue to plague the Rogue Valley today and Thursday, prompting health officials to warn people to stay indoors as much as possible. National Weather Service meteorologist Brett Lutz said the smoke is a one-two punch. Most of the haze on the valley floor is coming from the National Creek fire complex near Crater Lake National Park. The smoke that's higher aloft, however, hovering about 4,000 feet above, is mostly from Northern California fires. "It's all being gathered by this low-pressure area that's kind of causing it to all end up in one place," Lutz said. Today, another system pushing east through the region is expected to take much of the current smoke with it, but it'll also likely send more smoke from the Stouts fire in Douglas County, forecasters say. Jackson County health officials warn residents to avoid strenuous activity while outdoors and to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible when the smoke is at its worst. They say the elderly, children and those with heart and respiratory conditions are particularly at risk for illness, especially when the smoke is combined with the triple-digit temperatures forecast for today. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality monitors showed the air in Medford and Shady Cove was "unhealthy for sensitive groups" over a 24-hour period late Tuesday afternoon. Other sites in the Rogue Valley were listed as "moderate." Earlier Tuesday, Medford had the worst air quality in the state at "unhealthy" for all groups. Fire roundup The Stouts fire, which was sparked by a mower trimming dry grass on July 30, had pushed past the 25,000-acre mark Tuesday, but was 72 percent contained. Fire officials estimate full containment by Aug. 26. That progress has prompted officials to send two crews to help at the National Creek complex, which grew by about 1,110 acres to a 6,228-acre total by Tuesday. Two additional crews and five engines were also released from the Stouts fire to be reassigned elsewhere in the wildfire-plagued state. The bulk of the National Creek Complex's growth belongs to the Crescent fire, one of two fires in the complex sparked by lightning Aug. 1. That fire is at about 6,108 acres. The smaller National fire has not budged from about 120 for several days. Total containment remained at about 10 percent Tuesday. National Creek complex public information officer Tom Lavagnino said Tuesday crews were gearing up for a "telltale day," expecting erratic winds, higher temperatures and lower humidity. "We've got a lot of contingency lines and fire lines in place," Lavagnino said, adding additional growth on the fire is anticipated on the southern, eastern and western flanks. Numerous closures remain in place as firefighting at the complex continues. Highway 230 is closed from its junction with Highway 62 north of Prospect to its terminus at Highway 97. Crater Lake Park's north entrance remains closed, meaning Bend-bound Medford residents no longer can cut through the park to get around the Highway 230 closure and must instead use Highway 140 to reach Highway 97 via Klamath County. Inside the park, the Bert Creek, Bald Crater Loop and Boundary Springs trails remain closed, as does the Pacific Crest Trail from the park's northern boundary to its junction with the Lightning Spring Trail. All other roads and facilities inside the park remain open. At nearby Diamond Lake, a sizable portion of the Mount Bailey area west of recreation area and the area south of the lake remain closed. The closure area includes portions of Forest Service roads 37, 4795, 3703 and 4786. The Broken Arrow Campground, South Shore Picnic Area, South Diamond Sno-Park, Mount Thielsen Viewpoint, Hemlock Cabin and trailheads for Rodley Butte, Mount Bailey and Silent Creek trails are also closed, as are trails 1451, 1452 and 1481 to Rodley Butte, Mount Bailey and Silent Creek. A Level 1 evacuation advisory remains in effect for Diamond Lake, meaning anyone at the site should be prepared to leave. Tighter restrictions Wildfire conditions are expected to worsen because of expected low humidity levels and hotter temperatures. The outlook, along with firefighting resources stretched to the limit, has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry's South Cascade and Western Lane districts, along with the Douglas Forest Protective Association, to tighten forest use restrictions even further. That means no open fires on district forestlands, and any activities that pose a fire risk, such as mowing dry grass, are prohibited. "We're asking for the public's help to prevent any new human-caused fires," South Cascade District Forest spokesman Greg Wagenblast said in a news release. "Statewide, our resources are limited due to the number of large fires currently burning." There are more than 12 sizable wildfires burning across the state, with close to 5,000 firefighters trying to beat back the flames. Some local departments, such as Medford Fire-Rescue, have sent some of their firefighters to assist in suppression efforts. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 10:27 AM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 10:11 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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