Oregon Public Broadcasting

Smoke from two wildfires in the southern part of Oregon has reached all the way into British Columbia.

Unhealthy air has been reported in the Eugene/Springfield metro area and in Oakridge. Ash from the fires was seen as far north as Oregon City and Molalla.

The Boze Fire east of Roseburg is now at 7700 acres. The Tumblebug Complex southeast of Oakridge has grown to 7000 acres.

Clinton Rockey is a Fire Weather Forecaster at the National Weather Service in Portland.

Clinton Rockey: “For the next few days we're gonna see the winds turn just enough that the smoke debris cloud will actually be drifting northeastward across the Cascades into Central Oregon and North Central Oregon and not over the west side of the valley. As we go to the weekend, we'll get back into a flow pattern where some of that smoke and debris from these fires may try to come back into the valley toward Sunday or Saturday night. But we'll see what happens with that as we get closer.”

Residents in the Eugene/Springfield area and Oakridge have been warned to limit outdoor activities until the smokey air subsides.