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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2020)
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon SMOKE: Take care of yourself and stay informed Continued from page 1 the fresh-air intake closed, said the CDC. People who would normally let nature cool off their houses should keep windows and doors shut according to Gleim. A do-it- yourself box fan filter can be helpful, though she warns <you don9t want to put it in your window because then you9re bringing smoky air in from outside= (instructions in sidebar). Air quality tends to be worst in the evening. <The primary pollutant of concern in any kind of wild- fire smoke is very tiny par- ticles that scientists call PM 2.5,= which is particulate mat- ter smaller than 2.5 microme- ters 4 that9s 30 times smaller than the width of a hair off your head,= said Gleim. <It9s very, very tiny and so when we inhale it it goes deep down into our lungs= and can cause inflammation, short- ness of breath and coughing, as well as exacerbate heart and lung conditions. <We9ve been trying to stress to people that cloth and paper masks that people have been wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 do not protect you from the harmful particles in wildfire smoke. Those particles are just too small and go right through that mask.= Though heavy-duty N95 masks can be effective against ambient smoke inha- lation, they come with their own challenges and may be in short supply due to use by frontline workers during the pandemic. Unlike their cloth counterparts, N95s can be problematic for people who already have breathing issues. Since they are designed to create a seal around the face, they should not be used by children or over facial hair. Also, N95s with a plastic vent will not contain the wearer9s germs from others, according the Food and Drug Administration. <When we9re breathing air in our homes and our busi- nesses that has high levels of these smoke particulates, I think the most important thing for your health is& eating well, drinking lots of water and upping your sup- plements,= said Jinny Reed, a retired assistant fire manage- ment officer with the Sisters Ranger District. <Every individual has access to real-time data= on the internet, Reed said. She recommends people regularly check smoke outlooks and forecasts so they <can make informed decisions about what they9re going to do today, tomorrow, and some- times in the future.= (Links to resources are available at the end of the story below.) Currently <there is no clean air between Canada and Mexico in the Pacific states,= said Reed. <If you have a health condition, maybe& you need to go visit family far away and wait it out.= A dramatic shift in the winds last week led to unusual easterly winds that blew wildfire smoke in the west away from Sisters but was part of the same wind- storm that fueled the fires, according to Reed. <It9s hard to pinpoint where smoke is coming from because we have a bunch of 31 those big fires burning up and down the western side of the state,= said Gleim, who is based in Bend. The Lionshead fire around Mt. Jefferson and the enormous fires on the other side of the Cascades are likely the big- gest contributors to the poor air quality in Sisters, Gleim said. <Those fires in the uplands, they9re going to con- tinue to burn and emit emis- sions until it rains or snows,= said Reed. <A season-ending event where it actually rains a quarter-inch or a half-inch doesn9t typically occur until [mid-to-late] October.= <Your best line of defense is your personal health,= Reed said. <Do what you can to take care of yourself and stay informed.= THE ARENDS & SCOTT REALTY GROUP Discover the Diff erence Seeking DIY relief from smoky conditions Indoor air cleaners filter smoke particles out of the air. You can do this by attach- ing a furnace filter on a box fan so that the fan surface is completely covered by the filter. One example would be a 20-inch by 20-inch box fan with a 20-inch by 20-inch furnace filter attached to it. You can attach the filter firmly to the fan using tape, a bungee cord, or another method. Make sure to attach the filter so that the arrow on the filter points in the direc- tion of the air generated by the fan. Here are important tips for proper filtration and safety: 1. For good filtration, you need a furnace filter that is HEPA or rated MERV-13 or higher. These filters remove more particles from the air than lower-rated ones. Filters with lower ratings offer inadequate protection from smoke. 2. Filters three to five inches thick will last lon- ger than thinner ones. They have more surface area and will trap more particles with time. Change the filter as the manufacturer recommends or when visibly dirty. 3. A filter can put strain on the fan motor and could cause the motor to overheat or catch fire. Therefore, it is very important to turn the fan off if you leave the house. To limit possible hazards, you should: " Turn off and unplug the fan and contact the retailer or manufacturer if you notice a burning smell or unusual noises. Do not continue using the fan with or without the filter. " Make sure to change filters as the manufacture recommends or when visibly dirty to limit strain on the fan motor. " Do not balance the fan on the edge of the counter, or anywhere that it could fall. " Prevent children and pets from chewing on or pulling the fan cable. " Always unplug the fan from the socket when not in use. " Ensure that you have functioning fire and smoke alarms installed in your home. The National Fire Protection Association pro- vides recommendations on where to place fire and smoke alarms (https://www. nfpa.org/smokealarms). The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Air Quality Program attached two filters to the fan in a triangular manner, which reduces the load on the fan motor. You might consider this setup as well. $529,900 Links: Triangular box fan filtra- tion system video instruc- tions: https://www.cct-enr. com/box-fan-filter. OregonAir mobile app (free air quality index track- ing): available at your mobile app store. Oregon Smoke blog (coordination between local, state, tribal and federal organizations about wild- fire smoke affecting Oregon communities): oregonsmoke. blogspot.com Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program (detailed maps, charts and forecasts for the US): https://sites. google.com/firenet.gov/ wfaqrp-external/home. Phil Arends Chris Scott Principal Broker Broker 541-420-9997 541-588-6614 phil.arends@cascadesir.com chris.scott@cascadesir.com Licensed in the State of Oregon Licensed in the State of Oregon 1 ! G N I D N E P SUDOKU SOLUTION for puzzle on page 27 Commercial Building & Business Comments? Email editor@nuggetnews.com $730,000 $430,050 250 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters $899,000 Highly visible downtown Sisters location 2,400 sq. . (approx.) commercial building Main-level dining & kitchen Sold in Sisters! Sold in Sisters! Sold in Bend! “There’s no place like home!” Mayfi eld Realty 809 SW Canyon Dr., Redmond Second-level offi ce and bathroom with potential living quarters Outdoor patio Successful, well-known restaurant (currently closed) Khiva Beckwith - Broker Affatati Real Estate Rentals 541-420-2165 Call Ralph at 541-390-5187 or wildwingsbigbear@gmail.com khivarealestate@gmail.com www.khivasellscentraloregon.com