RENO, NV - Smoke from the Chips Fire in Plumas County, California is causing elevated ozone and fine particulate matter levels and reduced visibility in portions of Washoe County.
Although the current Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the moderate range for ozone and fine particulates, levels can vary depending upon the time of day and your location.
If you are in what is considered a sensitive group, for example, children, elderly, or persons with respiratory or heart ailments, or even if you just feel the smoke is adversely affecting you, please take precautions to avoid unnecessary exposure.
Remain indoors with the windows shut, use air conditioning if possible, and avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Also remember to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
The National Weather Service is forecasting afternoon heating and mixing which will improve air quality, but smoke will then settle back into the valleys overnight.
A wind shift on Saturday will push smoke to the north and improve air quality in the Truckee Meadows. Visit the Health District (www.washoecounty.us/health/aqm/home.html) and National Weather Service (www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/) websites for updated
information about smoke impacts from the Chips Wildfire.
Additional air quality information is available by calling the Air Quality Hotline at (775) 785-4110. The Hotline is updated each afternoon by 5:00 pm, and more frequent during air pollution episodes. Because the smoke impacts are expected to continue tomorrow, the Hotline will be updated by 9:00 am on Saturday, August 4.
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