Tri-Cities chokes under more smoke. Air quality rated as unhealthy for everyone

The air quality in the Tri-Cities was smoky enough Sunday for a second day in a row to be rated as unhealthy for all people Sunday morning.

Smoky air was forecast to persist through at least Sunday night.

Fires were burning in northern Washington, in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and in the Blue Mountains east of the Tri-Cities on Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, it was most likely that the smoke was drifting into the Tri-Cities area from the Blue Mountains, particularly the Green Ridge Fire in the Umatilla National Forest.

It started from lightning strikes July 7 and may not be contained until Oct. 6, according to the InciWeb Incident Information System.

There was some slight clearing of smoke in the Tri-Cities late Saturday night to a level rated as unhealthy for sensitive people, but by 1 a.m. the air was again unhealthy for all.

The air was also rated as unhealthy for everyone at two other Mid-Columbia monitoring stations Sunday morning, one in Mesa in Franklin County and one in Sunnyside.

People were advised to stay indoors.

Smoke can be particularly harmful to children, seniors and people with chronic medical conditions, including heart and respiratory illnesses or diabetes.

Windows should be closed, when possible, to keep indoor air clean. Air conditioners should be set to “recirculation.”

Masks rated N96 or N100 offer some protection from air pollution, the agency said. However, cloth masks meant to protect against COVID-19 are not effective against smoke particles.