An initiative enabled by Oregon Senate Bill 762 will help some Oakridge and Westfir residents breathe easier.

The Oakridge area has recurring issues with clean air. Summer wildfires often blanket the region with smoke, while winter wood-burning prolongs the problem.

Sarah Altemus-Pope is program manager of Oakridge Air. It’s partnered with Oregon Health Authority to distribute air purifiers for locals on Medicare or Medicaid.

“I don’t want to put a cap on it but as long as we’re being inundated with smoke, we’re confident we can meet the need,” she told KLCC.

Besides people with sensitive respiratory or cardiac conditions, Altemus-Pope added that they’re also working to protect children.

“We’ve partnered with OHA and Department of Human Services to get large air scrubbers to the school districts, because when the children are in school, they’re in buildings that can trap smoke in throughout the days,” said Altemus-Pope. “And then some small individual room purifiers, to keep the air pure in the school.”

Oakridge and Westfir residents can inquire at Oakridge Air’s website or office between 8-11am on weekdays to see about procuring their own purifier.