Oakridge Air

The Oakridge Air program supports the Oakridge-Westfir community by connecting residents with resources that improve the area's air quality. Home heating upgrades, air purifiers, firewood, and education are among the resources provided. The program is made possible through an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant.

Why Air Quality in Oakridge Matters

The communities of Oakridge and Westfir are consistently among the worst 20 communities in the United States for air quality. Our communities sit at the bottom of a bowl of hills, where bad air doesn’t move out. This makes our area especially vulnerable to pollution from old wood stoves, burning unseasoned wood and yard debris, and wildfire smoke. Wood smoke contains tiny soot particles and is the primary source of our bad air quality days.

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Office Hours:

Monday through Thursday 8:30-4

Friday 8:30-12

Saturday and Sunday - Closed

Home Heating Upgrades

Project funding will provide more than 145 homes with weatherization and home repairs, ductless heat pumps, and certified wood stoves. Upgrades are available for rental houses as well as homeowners. Click here for more information or email us at upgrades@oakridgeair.org. Our first priority is to replace old and inefficient wood stoves with modern wood heat, and to ensure that all homes have efficient, electric heating options.

Community Firewood Program

The firewood program will be expanded to provide 200 cords per year of dry firewood to the community, while offering affordable firewood to low-income, senior, and disabled residents. Click here or email us at firewood@oakridgeair.org to learn more about the Community Firewood Program.

School Education

The Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council is working with Oakridge School District teachers to provide lessons and class activities for school children.

Cleaner Indoor Air

Public buildings, including the library, elementary, junior high school, and high school, have updated air filters to improve indoor air quality day to day and act as cleaner air spaces shelters during significant wildfire events. In coordination with local health clinics, air purifiers were distributed to residents with health needs. Click here to learn more about residential air purifiers.

Code Enforcement

The Oakridge Police Department will hire a designated code enforcement officer with the project funding. This officer will build an education-focused diversion program for smoke code violations.