LANE COUNTY, Ore. — Lane County’s failing air-quality grade is being driven overwhelmingly by wildfire smoke, according to the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA), which said it is taking the American Lung Association’s “F” grade seriously and wants the public to understand what is behind the ranking.
The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report ranks Lane County as the third most polluted area to live in when it comes to particulate matter. LRAPA said the main cause of that particulate matter is wildfire smoke, especially in the Oakridge area.
The American Lung Association uses data from LRAPA’s monitoring stations when compiling the report, including the station in Oakridge. LRAPA said the data from Oakridge severely skews the American Lung Association’s overall data for Lane County…