The summer of 2020 broke records in terms of wildfires in Oregon. Flames destroyed approximately 4,000 homes and 1 million acres of land. Smoke entered homes and lungs in every corner of the state.
Oregon lawmakers responded by funding air purifiers for people in communities where wildfires are common. The air purifiers are part of a $220 million investment in wildfire prevention and response planning, power plant safety, new building code standards and more. Oregon has purchased 5,000 new home air purifiers. The purifiers will be distributed to selected homes, primarily along the California border where communities historically experience 20 or more days of “unhealthy” air from wildfire smoke per year.
To further reach people who most need protection against wildfire smoke in high-risk regions, the state identified Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members who have been diagnosed with chronic heart, lung or cerebral vascular (strokes) conditions. These conditions can be worsened by exposure to wildfire smoke.
The initiative is a first for Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
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