Oregon county grapples with nation's highest wildfire smoke death rate

Residents in a rural Oregon area are experiencing the nation's highest mortality from wildfire smoke exposure, raising questions about air quality resilience in communities downwind of fire zones.

First covered Aug 26, 2026 · 5:00 AM PT · 1 article · no longer in the live window

Oregon county grapples with nation's highest wildfire smoke death rate — Image via theguardian.com

Coverage

31d Guardian Environment ‘You can taste the ash’: surviving in America’s wildfire smoke capital — A magical corner of Oregon has the highest US rate of wildfire smoke deaths. How do residents live with the haze – and grief?

More coverage from around the web

newsweek.com States With Worst Wildfire Smoke Mortality Rates - Newsweek

multco.us Chapter 6 – Wildfire Smoke 166 6.3 Wildfire Smoke Risk Assessment

usfa.fema.gov Oregon fire loss and fire department profile - USFA.FEMA.gov

pressreader.com Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)

npr.org At Least 14 People Killed In West Coast Wildfires; Some 500,000 Evacuated In Oregon

Appeared in: 2026-08-27 (#14)

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