Multnomah County Urges Portland Residents to Clean Indoor Air as Smoke Lingers, Offering $50 DIY Fix
Updated
Updated · KATU · Aug 5
Multnomah County Urges Portland Residents to Clean Indoor Air as Smoke Lingers, Offering $50 DIY Fix
2 articles · Updated · KATU · Aug 5
Summary
Multnomah County told Portland-area residents to keep indoor air as clean as possible during lingering smoky conditions, advising people to set air conditioners to recirculate rather than draw in outside air.
A do-it-yourself air cleaner using a $20 box fan and a $30 MERV 13 filter can help households without air conditioning or an air purifier; officials said HEPA filters work better but may be harder to find.
Pregnant women, children, older adults and people with asthma or COPD were identified as most likely to benefit from cleaner indoor air.
211 can help residents find cleaner, cooler places to spend time, including libraries, community centers and malls; Meals on Wheels dining centers are open for adults 60 and older, and Portland has hundreds of overnight shelter beds available.
Dedicated cooling centers have not opened because temperatures have not reached Multnomah County's threshold, even as wildfire smoke and heat continue to degrade air quality.