The Hillsboro Police Department pulled the plug on its National Night Out Party Patrols for Tuesday, August 4, after wildfire smoke and extreme heat made outdoor gatherings unsafe.

The downtown Tuesday Night Market was also canceled for the evening, leaving residents without two of the city's regular summer community events on the same night.

HPD announced the decision Monday evening, August 3, on its official X account, saying the department "made the difficult decision to cancel our scheduled Party Patrols" because of the heat advisory and poor air quality forecast. National Night Out is an annual community-policing event held the first Tuesday of August nationwide, when officers visit neighborhood block parties to build relationships with residents.

The Tuesday Night Market posted on Facebook that it canceled "out of an abundance of caution" to keep market-goers, vendors and volunteers safe. The next market is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11.

The cancellations came as the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for the Portland metro area, including Washington County, on Monday, August 3. The AQI for the Portland-Hillsboro area climbed from 50 to 182, rated "Unhealthy," overnight Monday, with conditions forecast to remain unhealthy through Thursday, August 6.

DEQ air quality coordinator Jennifer Horton told KGW that smoke was blowing in from the Grasshopper Fire in Central Oregon and from fires in Washington state.

"There is no safe amount of wildfire smoke to breathe in, so keep an eye on that air quality, know what your own symptoms are," Horton said.

A National Weather Service heat advisory took effect at noon Tuesday, with highs of 95 to 100 degrees expected through Wednesday night. Horton warned that the combination of extreme heat and smoke increases health risks, particularly for people with underlying conditions.

DEQ noted that cloth, dust and surgical masks do not protect against the tiny particles in wildfire smoke. Properly fitted N95 or P100 respirators may help adults, but are not available in children's sizes.

Hillsboro was not alone in pulling back. Gresham postponed its Night Out event at Arts Plaza, La Center rescheduled to Tuesday, August 18, and Battle Ground, Washington, canceled its National Night Out entirely for 2026, KGW reported.

DEQ and the National Weather Service urged residents to stay indoors when possible, keep windows and doors closed, run air conditioning on recirculate, drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous outdoor activity until air quality improves. The most vulnerable include infants, young children, older adults, pregnant people and those with heart or lung disease.

HPD has not announced whether its Party Patrols will be rescheduled.