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Willamette Valley air stagnation advisory extended to Saturday

Riverfront Park Taco bridge Salem stock January 2022 (Emil Marjan/Special to Salem Reporter)

An air stagnation advisory for Salem and much of the Willamette Valley initially expected to be in place until 4 p.m. is now extended to Saturday at noon, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service forecasted a period of stagnant air with light winds below 1500 feet, which could lead to poor air quality.

The advisory said people with respiratory illness should follow their physician’s advice for dealing with high air pollution when air is stagnant, and state air quality agencies “highly recommend” people don’t burn outdoors and limit residential wood burning devices as much as possible.

“Prolonged periods of stagnant air can hold pollutants close to the ground where people live and breathe,” the advisory said.

The weather service advised people to check with their local burn agency for any current restrictions in their area.

The advisory also covers parts of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.

-Ardeshir Tabrizian