Foul air in Eugene-Springfield forces practices indoors, prompts county health warning

Aug. 22--A sign of the smoky times: high school soccer practice indoors.

With the air fouled by smoke of distant wildfires, the Millers girl's soccer team on Tuesday went through drills in the hot but clear air of Springfield High School's main gym. Elsewhere around the Willamette Valley, high school teams preparing for their upcoming fall seasons -- soccer, football, cross country, cheer -- either canceled practice or stayed out of the smoke.

"It's a scheduling nightmare, as far as you're trying to put all fall sports into the same venue here," said Cliff Shutte, head coach of Springfield High's girls soccer team. "... It's just a scramble and it's an inconvenience."

Air quality in Eugene-Springfield will likely continue to worsen until winds shift later this week, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency spokeswoman Jo Niehaus said. Responding to the poor air quality, Eugene and Springfield schools altered sports practices.

Lane County Public Health on Tuesday recommended that people stay indoors, and urged people who are outdoors to avoid strenuous activity.

Southern Willamette Valley air on Tuesday was at a level considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," LRAPA said. Sensitive groups include the very young, the very old and those with breathing problems, such as asthma. Air quality might decline to "unhealthy" on Wednesday for everyone before it improves, Niehaus said. Northerly winds have been sending smoke into Eugene-Springfield from fires in Washington and Canada.

"Probably, people will see some significant improvement by Thursday," Niehaus said.

Poor air quality Tuesday caused the River Road Park and Recreation District in Eugene to close the wading pool at Emerald Park only an hour after it opened, said Jeff Fryer, the district's aquatic director.

"We don't want to expose staff or guests to an unhealthy environment," he said.

For some people, smoke and heat can be hard to escape. St. Vincent de Paul spokesman Paul Neville said dirty air adds to difficulties the homeless already face with summer heat. Many of the homeless people who use St. Vincent de Paul facilities have health problems and must carry all of their possessions with them, he said. Heat and smoke make an already exhausting situation worse.

Lane County Public Health has a list of places where residents can find relief from the smoke, such as a local library or community center.

Wildfire smoke last summer caused the worst air quality in decades.

Carol Hardisty, a respiratory therapist at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, on Tuesday said there had not been a surge of patients with breathing problems caused by the smoke.

"Near the end of the long wildfire season last summer, we did see an increase in patients with respiratory problems seeking help," she said. "So we're hopeful that the smoky skies will clear and we won't see a repeat of last summer."

The Centers for Disease Control said that wearing a mask in smoky air doesn't do much good because smoke and ash particles are so small. However, if people want to wear a mask, they should consult with their doctor, Hardisty said, especially if they have lung diseases or asthma.

LRAPA has three monitoring stations that record levels of particulate matter and pollution. The results are shown on its website as its Air Quality Index. Air quality begins to be considered unhealthy, first for sensitive groups, when levels exceed 100.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, LRAPA's air quality monitoring stations in Eugene-Springfield, Cottage Grove and Oakridge showed high levels of particulate matter, with readings of 104, 119 and 158, respectively.

This spring, the Oregon School Activities Association, which oversees high school sports, changed its guidelines. If the air quality index breaks 100, outdoor activities are to be canceled.

School officials are keeping close watch on air monitors, said Kerry Delf, Eugene School District spokeswoman. "We want to make sure our students are in healthy conditions," she said.

The stuffy gym at Springfield High is a far cry from a soccer pitch, but at least the girl's soccer team found a place Tuesday to practice.

"It's extremely hot and humid," said Neviah Lee, a junior on the team, "but it's better than being outside in the smoke."

Follow Dylan Darling on Twitter @DylanJDarling. Email dylan.darling@registerguard.com. Maggie Vanoni, Suzanne Adams-Ockrassa and Ben Lonergan contributed to this report.

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