A second round of wildfire smoke is expected to push into Beaverton by Thursday evening, bringing moderate-to-unhealthy air quality before clearing Friday afternoon.

KOIN 6 Chief Meteorologist Josh Cozart reported that winds will shift from northwest to northeast Thursday afternoon, pulling smoke that has been sitting over eastern Oregon and Washington back into the Portland metro area. The smoke should reach the greater Portland-Vancouver region, including Washington County, by Thursday evening, Aug. 13.

Air quality across western Oregon remained good Wednesday, Aug. 12, with cooler, cloudier skies keeping smoke at bay. Beaverton's AQI measured just 14 on Tuesday morning, according to That Oregon Life.

Shorter and less severe than early August

This event is not expected to match the first smoke wave that blanketed Beaverton in early August. Cozart said northwesterly winds should return by Friday afternoon, Aug. 14, pushing the smoke back east. Clear, sunny skies are forecast for the Willamette Valley by the weekend.

During the first smoke event, Beaverton and Hillsboro recorded AQI readings as high as 138, rated unhealthy for sensitive groups, on Aug. 5. NWS meteorologist Noah Alviz said on Aug. 5, during that first event, that "the thickest smoke in Washington County is in the east, so Beaverton and Hillsboro." That geographic pattern means Beaverton is likely among the first metro areas to see elevated readings when smoke pushes west again.

Air Quality Advisories were in place for much of eastern Oregon and Washington through Wednesday noon. Those advisories could expand westward to include Washington County as smoke moves Thursday.

How to protect yourself

According to Oregon's Smoke Information Blog, Oregon DEQ recommends:

  • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed
  • Run HVAC systems on recirculate
  • Use a HEPA air purifier or a DIY box-fan filter (box fan plus a MERV-13 furnace filter)
  • Wear an N95 or P100 respirator outdoors; cloth and surgical masks do not filter PM2.5 particles

To find a clean air shelter, visit 211.org and search "Wildfire Related Clean Air Shelters" or call 211 during business hours (8 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Friday).

Monitor conditions

Residents can track real-time air quality at fire.airnow.gov, the Oregon Smoke Information Blog at oregonsmoke.org, or DEQ's index at aqi.oregon.gov. The free OregonAIR app also provides alerts.

Oregon's 2026 wildfire season has burned more than 2 million acres statewide, a record, with dozens of large fires still active east of the Cascades. Warmer-than-average temperatures and no rainfall forecast for the weekend will keep the wildfire threat elevated even after this smoke clears.