Wildfire smoke from the Austin Fire settled over the Beaverton and Northwest Portland area Monday, Aug. 31, pushing air quality to "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" levels near Bethany.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued an air quality advisory for the region that remains in effect until noon Wednesday, Sept. 2. Children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with heart or lung conditions face the greatest risk, according to county health guidance.

The Austin Fire is burning in the Mt. Hood National Forest southeast of Estacada, near Austin Hot Springs along the Clackamas River. As of Sept. 1, the fire had burned about 11,686 acres and remained 0% contained, according to IQAir's fire tracker. The fire grew more than 1,000 acres over the weekend, KATU reported.

Closer to the metro area, conditions varied sharply by location Monday evening. Air quality sensors at 8:30 p.m. showed "Very Unhealthy" readings in Clackamas County around Canby and Estacada, "Unhealthy" levels in Sandy, Tualatin and Southeast Portland, and "Moderate" around Camas and east Vancouver, KGW reported.

Bethany is not named in any specific sensor reading, but it sits squarely between the Beaverton and Northwest Portland monitors that registered "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups."

Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders remain in effect near the fire, covering areas around Bagby Hot Springs, Lake Harriet, Timothy Lake and campgrounds along the Clackamas River east of Carter Bridge, according to a Clackamas County update.

What residents should do

Clackamas County advised residents in smoky areas to close doors and windows, run air purifiers and set air conditioning to recirculate. Move exercise indoors and wear an N95 mask outside. Even smoke you cannot see or smell can affect your health, the county warned.

Keep pets indoors when possible. Anyone experiencing headaches, fatigue or coughing should drink plenty of water and seek clean air.

Relief on the way

KGW Chief Meteorologist Matt Zaffino said a weather shift beginning Tuesday should push smoke to the northeast. "The smoke should be blown to the northeast as things start to shift Tuesday," Zaffino said on KGW Monday evening.

Zaffino said rain is expected to arrive by Wednesday, Sept. 2, and stick around through Friday. Firefighters expect 1 to 1.5 inches of rain Wednesday, according to KATU.

Residents experiencing chest pain or difficulty breathing should call 911.