SEATTLE (AP) — A haze of smoke covering parts of western Washington and Oregon is expected to clear before the week’s end. The region reached a dubious distinction this week, with Seattle and Portland briefly topping a list from IQAir of cities with the worst air quality in the world. The smoke comes from several wildfires burning in Washington and Oregon. The National Weather Service says a new weather pattern is expected to hit the region Friday, bringing multiple rounds of rain that will help scrub the air of pollutants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with eye and respiratory tract irritation, bronchitis, heart failure, and even premature death.
Thick smoke in western Washington and Oregon to soon clear
