The initial effect is on the eyes: it's just not fun to see the smoke from a wildfire collecting around your home, blocking out the view.
But the greater concern is what that smoke will do to your lungs and the rest of your body. Breathing wildfire smoke is not unlike smoking cigarettes, and the health effects can be as profound.
Health agencies in the region are aware of the situation, and tracking it. The Oregon Health Authority keeps an eye on the numbers; both of smoke concentration and medical cases attributable to the smoke.
OHA smoke expert Gabriela Goldfarb explores the health effects in an interview with JPR's April Ehrlich.