Jefferson County residents woke up Sunday to a smoke-filled sky, and air quality officials warn conditions may persist through at least the beginning of this week. The Round Butte Fire burning west of Madras, combined with a broader wildfire complex across north-central and eastern Oregon, is pushing smoke into the valleys and communities of the county.

Current Air Quality Outlook

As of Sunday, wildfire smoke was producing Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy air quality ratings across much of Jefferson County. Smoke forecasters with the National Forest Service and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are issuing daily smoke outlooks; the most current readings are available at fire.airnow.gov and the Oregon DEQ’s AQI monitoring network.

Conditions are expected to remain smoky through early this week as northwest winds are forecast to continue pushing smoke from both local fires and fires burning farther north and east. Afternoon heating may temporarily improve visibility and disperse ground-level smoke, but residents should not count on clear air until weather patterns shift more significantly.

Who Is Most at Risk

Wildfire smoke contains fine particles (PM2.5) and a mixture of gases that can irritate lungs and worsen existing health conditions. Those at greatest risk include:

  • Children and infants
  • Adults 65 and older
  • People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, or other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone engaged in strenuous outdoor work or exercise

How to Protect Yourself

  • Stay indoors when possible with windows and doors closed. Run your HVAC system on recirculate rather than fresh air intake.
  • Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter indoors if you have one.
  • Wear an N95 or KN95 mask if you must be outside for extended periods. Standard cloth masks do not filter fine smoke particles effectively.
  • Limit outdoor exercise — especially high-intensity activity like running, yard work, or field labor.
  • Keep pets indoors as much as possible; animals are also susceptible to smoke-related health effects.
  • Check on neighbors, particularly the elderly and those who may not have heard current air quality advisories.

Resources

Jefferson County residents can monitor real-time air quality data at fire.airnow.gov or by searching their zip code on the EPA’s AirNow platform. The Oregon Health Authority also maintains a Wildfire Smoke and Health information page with guidance in multiple languages.

For evacuation levels, road closures, and fire perimeter updates related to the Round Butte Fire and other active Jefferson County incidents, visit the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office website or follow them on social media. Emergency alerts can be received by signing up for Jefferson County’s emergency notification system at jeffco.net.

The Madras Bulletin will continue to update coverage of the Round Butte Fire and regional wildfire conditions as new information becomes available.