205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 08/27/2018 - The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) is working closely with the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office, the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners, the Kittitas County Event Center, the Kittitas County Fair Board, and the Ellensburg Rodeo Board to determine when poor air quality might result in the closure of outdoor events this Labor Day Weekend. It has been determined that if air quality conditions reach “hazardous,” according to the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) that the events will be closed to the public.
“People work incredibly hard to put these events together, but we cannot compromise the health of the folks who are required to work these events. No one should have to make the choice between employment and their health,” states Commissioner Cory Wright. Hazardous air quality conditions will be determined when the Ecology air monitor located in Ellensburg shows a “hazardous” reading. ”More healthy people are likely to have breathing problems during hazardous air conditions,” according to Ecology. “We are certainly hoping that air quality does not go into the hazardous range,” states Kittitas County Health Officer Dr. Mark Larson. “The decision about the safety of this event is truly difficult. The choice is ultimately made specifically for the health of residents and visitors in Kittitas County. There is no economic value that is comparable to the health and life safety of people.” The Health Officer will make a determination each morning by 6:00 AM during the Labor Day weekend events (starting Thursday, August 30th through Monday, September 3rd) to determine the safety of being open to the public. If the Ecology monitor shows a “hazardous” level reading, the events will be closed to the public. If the air quality monitor shows any other air quality category besides “hazardous,” the events will be open to the public. KCPHD will monitor the air conditions on an hourly basis in order to provide updated information. If the events are closed to the public, people should follow these recommendations:
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
###
Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515