Wildfire season now runs well into September in much of Oregon, and the Oregon Health Authority changed its guidance for children's outdoor activity this year. On June 8, 2026, OHA released an updated Oregon Air Quality Activity Guide for Children and Youth. It's stricter than the old one, and it names child care outdoor play directly.12
What changed
- Every child counts as sensitive. The guide treats all children and youth 18 and younger as sensitive to fine particle pollution (PM2.5), not only children with asthma or other conditions.1
- Precautions start sooner. At AQI 101–150, the guide now recommends limiting activity intensity for all children, not just those with health conditions. Above 150, it recommends canceling or moving outdoor activity at any duration. The "medium" activity length was widened from 1–2 hours to 1–4 hours.1
- Travel time counts. Walking, biking, or riding a bus with the windows open counts as time outdoors, and OHA suggests considering a child's total exposure over the day.12
OHA dropped "Infants" from the guide's title. It still applies to everyone under 18, but OHA says most of it is designed for children over 2.1 For your youngest rooms, lean toward the cautious end of each band, and ask your local health authority if you're unsure.
The guide, simplified for a child care day
Check the current AQI at AirNow.gov or the Oregon Smoke Blog (oregonsmoke.org), which OHA says has the most relevant forecasts for Oregon during wildfire season.2 Then find your activity length:
| AQI (PM2.5) | Outdoor play up to 1 hour | 1 to 4 hours (field trips, long outdoor blocks) |
|---|---|---|
| 0–50 Good | No restrictions | No restrictions |
| 51–100 Moderate | Let children with health conditions opt out or stay in; limit their intensity if needed | Same |
| 101–150 Unhealthy for sensitive groups | Moderate-intensity play only; further limit children with health conditions | Light activity, or 1 hour total at moderate intensity; otherwise consider canceling or moving |
| 151 and above | Cancel outdoor activity or move to an area with safer air. Keep indoor activity light if indoor PM2.5 is high. | |
Condensed from OHA 8815H (April 2026). The guide also has a column for activities over 4 hours, such as outdoor school or camp, which is stricter. Use the full guide for decisions.2
The guide calls out children with asthma, lung or heart disease, diabetes, or respiratory infections as more sensitive, and says filtered indoor air is safer. It also warns that masks aren't a fix for young children: NIOSH-approved respirators don't come in sizes suitable for very young children and haven't been tested for broad use in children.2
Bringing children inside
Moving indoors only helps if the indoor air is cleaner. During long or heavy smoke events, PM2.5 gets into buildings. OHA suggests closing windows and doors, using HVAC filtration rated MERV 13 or higher or HEPA portable air cleaners, and avoiding air cleaners that produce ozone. If you can't tell whether indoor air is better than outside, assume it's about the same.2
Heat and smoke often arrive together, and closing up a building makes it warmer. Oregon's rules for certified centers require heating and ventilation that keep indoor temperatures between 68°F and 85°F while children are present, and when a center can't manage that, it must use strategies to keep children warm or cool.3
What the licensing rules say
- Emergency planning. Centers must watch weather and other hazards and act for children's health and safety. The rule lists heat over 100°F (or as the local authority advises) and air quality emergencies ordered by a local, state or federal authority among the conditions that may pose a risk.3
- Sun. Centers must protect children from too much sun, including keeping infants younger than six months out of direct sunlight, applying sunscreen with parent permission, and providing shade or protective clothing and hats.3
Your staff are covered too
Oregon OSHA has its own rules for employees. Its heat illness rules apply when the heat index reaches 80°F, with more requirements above 90°F, and include cool drinking water and access to shade.4 Its wildfire smoke rules are triggered at PM2.5 levels of 35.5 µg/m³, which is AQI 101.5 A teacher supervising the playground at AQI 120 is covered by both the children's guidance and the workplace rule.
Set this up before the next smoke day
- Pick one person on each shift to check AirNow or the Oregon Smoke Blog before outdoor time, and write down which AQI band triggers what.
- Keep a list of children with asthma or other conditions where the lead teacher in each room can see it.
- Plan indoor gross-motor activities you can run on short notice.
- Check your HVAC filters, or budget for a HEPA air cleaner for the rooms children use most.
- Tell families in advance how you'll decide, so a canceled outdoor block doesn't come as a surprise at pickup.
Sources
- Oregon Health Authority. OHA updates guidance for youth outdoor activities during wildfire smoke, air pollution events, June 8, 2026.
- Oregon Health Authority. Oregon Air Quality Activity Guide for Children and Youth (OHA 8815H), April 2026.
- Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care. Rules for Certified Child Care Centers (CCLD-0084), Sept. 2026 edition. OAR 414-305-0210(3), 414-305-0525(6), 414-305-0810(1)(a).
- Oregon OSHA. Key requirements: Oregon OSHA's permanent rules for heat illness prevention (FS-91).
- Oregon OSHA. Key requirements: Oregon OSHA's permanent rules for protection from wildfire smoke (FS-92).
Sources last read September 16, 2026.