PENDLETON — Smoke from wildfires in Western Oregon, surrounding states and Canada triggered an air quality advisory for Umatilla and Morrow counties as well as much of Central Oregon, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality officials said Monday, Aug. 21.

Harry Esteve, DEQ communications officer, said Crook, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, eastern Lane, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Wasco and Wheeler counties were under the advisory until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“I think the main issues for that area of the state are the fires in eastern Washington, but we are getting some smoke down from Canada and from the Oregon fires, all contributing,” he said.

Hermiston’s air quality index as of 10 a.m. Aug. 21 was 258, while Pendleton’s was 239, and both were listed as “very unhealthy,” according to the state’s air quality monitoring website aqi.oregon.gov. The website states AQI is a daily index of air quality that reports how clean the air is and provides information on potential health risks.

Air quality wasn’t an issue in Baker County, however, as heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary kept the smoke at bay. The air quality index in Baker City Monday afternoon was 24, in the good category.