Portland's Air 4th Worst Worldwide: Report

PORTLAND, OR — An air quality advisory for the Portland metro region that was set to expire Wednesday afternoon was extended to noon Thursday, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced. Advisories for Curry and Douglas counties, as well as 14 other counties in the northeast, central and southeast portions of the state, will also expire at noon Aug. 23.

The month-long advisory for Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, and Lake counties — where air quality is reportedly the worst in the state — will remain in place until further notice, though DEQ officials said conditions could improve by Friday.

Portland's current air quality index:

Portland's air quality index is currently is designated as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Air quality measured between 151 and 200 on the index is considered unhealthy for everyone. Seattle's Lake Forest Park area is measured at 208 — or very unhealthy. Downtown Seattle measured at 179 around noon on Wednesday.

The DEQ's latest update was announced in coordination with the Southwest Clean Air Agency — a Vancouver, Washington-based nonprofit that enforces "federal, state and local outdoor air quality standards and regulations in Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties of southwest Washington state," according to the organization's website.

AirVisual.com, an air quality monitoring website that tracks air quality in major cities around the world, ranked Portland's as the fourth worst worldwide Wednesday morning. Portland follows Santiago, Chile (#2), and Dubai (#3). Seattle ranks number one.

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Image via Stacie Loose