We got a break for much of last summer, but we can't count on future fire seasons having such a small number of smoky days.
Whether it's winter stove use or summer wildfires, smoke is bad for human lungs, and the smoky days have been increasing for decades. So cities and counties are working on smoke management plans, which--since smoke is hard to control--are really about what we do about people who can't avoid the smoke. The plan also puts some attention on allowing more burning on purpose, to reduce unexpected and more intense fires.
Jackson County's plan in the works is getting a boost from a pair of University of Oregon graduate students, Stuart Warren and Anna Murphy. They are doing the work through the Institute of Policy, Research, and Engagement(IPRE) at UO.
Stuart Warren takes some time away from the work to tell us of the smoke plan's crafting, and how public input is being included.
LINK: Stuart pointed us to the Oregon Department of Forestry page on controlled burning.