Remote Surveillance Trailer in Springfield, OR

Wildfire smoke in Lane County is expected to stay for days, degrading air quality to unhealthy levels. More than 2 million acres have burned in Oregon this season, breaking the state's record for acres burned in a year — with weeks still left in the fire season.

This story was updated Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 10:30 a.m.

A wind shift has carried wildfire smoke into Lane County, degrading air quality into unhealthy levels for the general public and people who are sensitive to it. The haze is expected to stay through Thursday.

Air quality is measured on the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale from 0 to 500, color-coded, with higher numbers indicating worse conditions and dark red signaling hazardous air. Moderate conditions run up to 100, after which air becomes unhealthy for sensitive groups — including people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and pregnant people. Into the late 100s, the smoke is considered unhealthy for everyone.

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) monitors registered an an AQI of 187 in north Eugene and 178 in Springfield.

Some areas in Eugene have hit the “very unhealthy” level, according to PurpleAir monitors. PurpleAir sensors, low-cost consumer devices, expand the air-monitoring picture beyond LRAPA’s regulatory-grade network.

The smoke started lofting into the Eugene-Springfield area Monday afternoon, settling overnight — the same time temperatures started to rise in western Oregon.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory that went into effect at noon Tuesday and lasts until 11 p.m. Wednesday. Wednesday’s high temperature in Eugene is expected to be 97.

Smoke drifting into Lane County is coming from wildfires burning east of the Cascade Mountains. More than 2 million acres have burned in Oregon this season, breaking the state’s wildfire record for acres burned in a year with weeks still to go in the fire season.

LRAPA issued an air advisory Tuesday morning covering the Eugene and Springfield area, Cottage Grove, Oakridge, Westfir and Blue River. A weather change Friday should bring clean air, though the timing is uncertain, according to the advisory. Until then, smoke will likely stay through Thursday.

“A nightly inversion will hold smoke near the ground in the valley, which is what moved us from an intermittent smoke impact notice yesterday to an advisory today,” Travis Knudsen, LRAPA executive director, said in a statement. “Keep windows and doors closed overnight and through the morning. Afternoons should be the better window if you need to get outside or air out the house, but always check the current Air Quality Index.”

Wildfire smoke has become a major driver of particle pollution in Eugene and Springfield in the last six years. Particle pollution consists of tiny materials that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, with the smallest particles able to pass into the bloodstream. Research links exposure to causing or worsening lung and heart disease, increasing the risk of premature birth, among other risks.

Staying safe in wildfire smoke

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency offers the following advice for people to protect themselves from wildfire smoke:

From museums to farms, stave off the boredom and screen time with one of these local adventures.

Eugene and Springfield have so much to offer for families. When mid-summer boredom kicks in, however, we can all use reminders of what’s out there. Keeping a close eye on price (most activities are either free or between about $5-15 per person), here’s a list to entice you out of your house, off your screens and into the community.

1. Cycle your heart out

Shift Community Cycle’s Kidical Mass

Take over the streets in a monthly family group bike ride or “bike bus” that follows a different route every month, ending each time at a family-friendly community event or place to get a sweet treat.

Bike the Eugene Solar System Trail

The trail is largest model of the solar system on the West Coast, representing the distance between the Sun and its nine traditional planets (including dwarf planet Pluto) at a 1-to-1 billion mile scale. The model also includes the closest star to the sun (Proxima Centauri) and one of its exoplanets. Begin at the sun in Alton Baker Park and go all the way north on the West Bank of the Greenway to Pluto, north of the Owosso bike/pedestrian bridge off River Road, near the Beltway. You’ll enjoy the Willamette River while realizing just how big the solar system is, and it’s free.

2. Get soaked

Splash pads and spray play in Eugene

Splash for free at Eugene’s newest playground water features at Riverfront Park Plaza and Santa Clara Community Park. Other parks with splash pads include Skinner Butte Park, Washington Park, Fairmount Park, Oakmont Park and Umso Park.

Pools and river swims in Eugene and Springfield

Swim at Amazon, Sheldon or Echo Hollow Pool for $6-7 or Willamalane’s indoor Splash at Lively Park in Springfield for $4-$13, depending on age and residence. Swim for free in the river at safe wading locations. Some of our favorite calm spots include along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River in Mount Pisgah Arboretum, along the Willamette in Alton Baker Park and River Wood Beach off the Greenway near Maurie Jacobs Park.

Safety first: Always accompany children in the water, only allow them in water without hands-on assistance if they know how to swim, use life jackets for extra protection and be extremely cautious of currents and dropoffs in the river.

3. Check stuff out from the Library of Things

Eugene Public Library’s Library of Things

Have a Eugene library card? You have access to the Library of Things which includes treasures such as a Hogwarts cake pan, a lap AND a table loom, a bird-watching backpack complete with guides and binoculars, a paper shredder and a portable record player.

Cultural Passes

If you have a library card with any of the local libraries (Eugene, Springfield or River Road Santa Clara), you can check out Cultural Passes, which grant you free or reduced-price entry to many local museums, the Cascades Raptor Center and certain Hult Center performances.

4. Have a museum day

School’s out, but a little learning doesn’t hurt young minds. Museums for kids offer hands-on activities, and there’s a new outdoor section at the Eugene Science Center to explore. Other options are available for older kids and adults who enjoy art and history. Many of these museums participate in a program that makes admission $1 per person for those who receive SNAP benefits. Ticket prices for others range from free to $10.

5. Practice your hand-eye coordination

Love a sport with a ball or disc? Dig out your rackets, flying discs or invest in some for years of fun. Prices vary based on if you have gear.

Public pickleball and tennis courts in Eugene, Springfield

Top public parks to check out for free racket sport fun include Westmoreland Park, Echo Hollow Park and River Road Parks and Rec District in Eugene and Meadow Park in Springfield. Your local middle or high school may have public courts as well. The cheapest rackets range from $20-30 a pop.

Disc golf courses in Eugene and Springfield

Local courses are located at Westmoreland Park, Alton Baker Park (which has a $5 day fee) and Stewart Pond in Eugene and Clearwater Park and Landing in Springfield. The cheapest disc sets range from $20-30 at local stores or you can check them out from the Eugene Public Library’s Library of Things.

6. Make new friends at a library event

Local libraries have free events for kids, tweens and teens every week of the summer.

7. Pick fruit on a farm — or in the woods

Catch summer fruits including blueberries, cherries, peaches and nectarines before their seasons end at numerous area farms. Check out our compilation of farms to pick your own blueberries complete with prices (make sure to call ahead to make sure there’s still some left). Next up this season at U-picks: apples and pears.

You can also pick your own blackberries for free in pretty much any wooded area, alley or unlandscaped bramble of shrubs around town, but be sure to follow foraging rules. We have a handy guide to foraging, which also applies to your neighbors’ bursting bushes and trees. Our copy editor Bob Passaro recommended Armitage Park for blackberries.

8. Map out Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood

Start with a jaunt or a ride around your neighborhood, noting where you see Little Free Libraries. Then, try these activities:

9. Putt-putt your cares away

Duffers have two local options for minigolf — one outdoor and one indoor. Both offer under $10 admission.

10. Hang out with the birds at Cascades Raptor Center

Visit the Cascades Raptor Center to see beautiful birds before the facility closes for eight weeks starting Sept. 7 for renovations. The birds and their humans put on a show five days a week in the summer — flight shows run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. Admission ranges from free to $16, depending on age. SNAP recipients get in for free.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - The City of Springfield launched Walk & Roll Springfield, a planning effort to update the city's Bicycle Master Plan and guide improvements to walking, biking and rolling over the next 20 years.

Rolling includes the use of wheelchairs, mobility devices, scooters and skateboards. The city is asking community members to share their experiences through a survey available in English and Spanish.

Feedback will help identify challenges and opportunities for people walking, biking and rolling throughout Springfield. The planning process will examine transportation needs, safety issues and crash patterns alongside community input.

"We need to hear from community members who use active transportation daily, weekly, or occasionally to get around Springfield," Andrew Larson said. Larson is a senior planner for the city's Development and Public Works Department.

"Community members are invited to take our survey to help shape the future of walking, biking, and rolling in Springfield," Larson said.

The information will help the city identify and prioritize projects to improve safety and accessibility. Walk & Roll Springfield will help the city improve safety for people of all ages and abilities who walk, bike or roll in Springfield.

The plan will also provide more comfortable options for walking, biking and rolling while reflecting community needs and experiences. The city will use the plan to identify and prioritize future projects and pursue potential funding opportunities.

The planning process will take about two years, with opportunities for community involvement as the city evaluates existing conditions and develops recommendations. Completion of the plan is expected in 2028.

Springfield's transportation system and travel patterns have changed since the city adopted its Bicycle Master Plan in 1998. New transportation options, including e-bikes and bikeshare, have also changed how people travel.

Community members can take the survey on the city's Walk & Roll Springfield webpage and sign up for project updates. Questions about Walk & Roll Springfield can be sent to walkandroll@springfield-or.gov.

The neighborhood is within a high-risk area, as spelled out in a new wildfire protection plan, where the edge of the city meets a more forested and wilder landscape.

Construction work sparked a fast-moving grass fire Wednesday, Aug. 12, in southeast Springfield that placed dozens of homes on alert that they be ready to evacuate.

The 16-acre fire started early Wednesday afternoon near Jasper and Mount Vernon roads on a Hayden Homes construction site, according to company regional director Brett Swanson.

“We understand how frightening a fire that close to homes can be, especially during dry summers and wildfire season,” Swanson said in an emailed statement to Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

“Our crew had water on site and was able to respond immediately,” he said. “We’re deeply grateful to the Fire Department for their quick work containing the fire before it reached any homes.”

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation notice that lasted overnight. It applied to dozens of homes, according to spokesperson Sgt. Levi McKenny. The county’s evacuation map showed about 50 homes in the vicinity of the notice.

The spark was caused by crews cutting rebar, steel reinforcement rods typically embedded in concrete, according to Chief Mike Caven of Eugene Springfield Fire.

The Oregon Department of Forestry restricts industrial activity involving spark-emitting machinery in Lane County, currently barring certain operations between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Those restrictions don’t apply within Springfield city limits, where the construction site is located, according to Caven.

Before firefighters stopped the fire, it was burning quickly in dry oak savannah grasses toward the Mount Vernon neighborhood.

According to the new Eugene-Springfield Community Wildfire Protection Plan, the neighborhood falls into the high-risk Bob Straub Parkway/Thurston Hills zone, where the urban edge meets forested foothills.

“While the community is relatively new and features more modern infrastructure, the proximity of homes to unmanaged vegetation, combined with limited buffer zones, creates a heightened risk of wildfire spread into developed areas,” the plan states. “Additionally, prevailing winds from the east can accelerate fire movement toward residential zones during extreme weather conditions.”

Hayden Homes has been building homes in its Woodland Ridge community since 2021, with nearly 170 houses built and another 180 to go, as of last summer.

In his statement, Swanson said that Hayden Homes takes “the safety of the communities where we build seriously,” and “being mindful of these conditions has always been a priority for us, and we will continue to ensure that care is reflected in our work going forward.”