Burn limits issued as air quality drops
Clean air agencies around the state issued burn bans Sunday as air quality dropped, thanks to a high-pressure weather system that kept pollutants from dissipating.
But while air quality in Spokane dipped from “good” to “moderate,” the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority had issued no restrictions.
Elsewhere, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency ordered a ban on outdoor and indoor burning in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties, except in homes where wood fires are the only source of heat.
The Washington State Department of Health urged that people who are sensitive to air pollution – children, the elderly, and people with heart and lung problems – limit time spent outdoors.
The state Department of Ecology issued a voluntary burn ban for residents of the Methow Valley, other valleys on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, and the rest of the north-central and northeastern parts of the state.
The bans were precipitated by a “temperature inversion,” a weather phenomenon that traps cold air near the ground and keeps smoke from dissipating, especially in valleys. The inversion is expected to ease by midweek.
The Ecology Department said people who have woodstoves as their only source of heat should burn very dry wood to reduce the amount of smoke.
The agencies also urged people to drive as little as possible to reduce the amount of exhaust released into the air.
– Staff and wire reports
Oregon among top moving destinations
Oregon is the No. 2 destination nationally for people moving from other states, according to a study by United Van Lines.
The St. Louis company found that 4,600 people headed for Oregon in 2006, ranking the state just behind No. 1 North Carolina.
Washington and Idaho also saw more arrivals than departures. According to the study, United saw 8,173 inbound shipments to Washington compared to 7,651 outbound shipments. Idaho saw 1,841 inbound shipments compared to 1,266 outbound.
Californians led the migration to Oregon, although there was an increase from Arizona, Florida, Texas and Washington state, according to the study.
The migration trend in Oregon did not surprise Judy Yriarte, the director of relocation services for Prudential Real Estate Professionals in Salem.
“We saw a 58 percent increase in relocations last year over the same period in 2005,” Yriarte said.
The majority of the newcomers moved into areas along the Interstate 5 corridor, from Portland to Salem to Medford, with some settling in Bend, she said.
Some of the reasons they cited include the weather, the landscape and quality of life and affordable homes, said Jeri Scott, the executive vice president of Coldwell Banker Mountain West in Salem.
“Oregon is also seen as an entrepreneurial state,” Scott said. “It is a big draw for people who want to open their own business.”
– Staff and wire reports