Lane County air quality took a turn for the worse Thursday afternoon as shifting wind pulled in smoke from regional wildfires.

Air quality in Eugene and Springfield declined from “good” to “moderate” levels shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, according to monitors from the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency.

The agency did not know the source of the smoke, spokesperson Matt Sorensen said, though he noted a new, small fire near Mapleton could be a possible contributor.

Several large wildfires are burning in the Willamette National Forest east of Springfield, including the 32,000-acre Emigrant Fire and the 500-acre Foley Ridge Fire.

But wind patterns Thursday showed high north-to-south winds, affecting air quality across the Willamette Valley from Eugene through Portland and into southern Washington. The 16,000-acre Bear Gulch Fire west of Seattle has brought smoke and reduced air quality to much of the Interstate 5 corridor in Washington during the past day.

Ashli Blow contributed to this report.

For more than a decade, Elon Glucklich covered business, government and health care for several dailies and online news organizations across Oregon. His reporting and commentary has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.