Your Body Almanac

Oregon

Wildfire smoke in late summer and dim, cloudy winters.

Oregon's late-summer wildfire season can fill the air with smoke for days or weeks, even far from the flames. Winters are cloudy with a low sun, and many rural homes drink from private wells.

01

Wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke carries fine particles that reach deep into the lungs and can worsen asthma, COPD and heart disease. Smoke can drift far from the fire, so it affects cities as well as fire country. Children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with heart or lung disease are most at risk.

SourcesWildfires and Smoke — Get Prepared (Oregon Health Authority)Wildfires (AirNow)
Check the air qualityAs neededLook up your local Air Quality Index before outdoor work or exercise, and scale back when it is high. Wear a respirator for dust, fumes and smokeAs neededUse a properly fitted N95 or better respirator for dusty work and heavy wildfire smoke, and a cartridge respirator for gases and vapors.
02

Little winter sun for vitamin D

Your skin makes vitamin D from the sun's UVB rays. A classic study found that winter sunlight in Boston, at 42 degrees north, made no vitamin D in skin from November through February. Oregon sits at 42 to 46 degrees north, and winter clouds cut UV further, so food is the more reliable source then.

SourcesVitamin D — Health Professional Fact Sheet (NIH ODS)Influence of season and latitude on the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D3 (Webb et al., 1988, PubMed)
Get vitamin D from foodDailyEat fatty fish, fortified milk and UV-exposed mushrooms so you are not relying on the sun alone. Ask your doctor about vitamin DYearlyIf you get little sun or few vitamin D foods, ask at your checkup whether testing or a supplement makes sense for you.
03

Private well water

Oregon requires a well test for arsenic, nitrate and bacteria when a home with a well is sold, but no routine testing after that. Arsenic occurs naturally in some Oregon groundwater, and nitrate is a known problem in places such as the Lower Umatilla Basin. Testing on your own schedule closes the gap.

SourcesDomestic Well Safety Program (Oregon Health Authority)Private Drinking Water Wells (EPA)
Test your private well every yearYearlyIf your water comes from a private well, have it tested by a certified lab at least once a year.

When to see a professional

Get care for chest pain, trouble breathing or a severe cough during smoke events. Call 911 if symptoms are serious.