Friday King Fire update: Highway 50 reopens, air quality remains unhealthy
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Fri, 09/19/2014 - 9:07am
UPDATE: Air quality monitors in Carson City and Gardnerville are reporting levels of particulate matter in the unhealthy range due to smoke from the King fire in California, according to Nevada environmental health officials.
People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should consider moving activities indoors and avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection will continue to monitor air quality in Carson City and Garnerville and more information will be released as it becomes available. Please note that changes in air quality from wildfire smoke can occur rapidly, so if you see or smell smoke, stay indoors with the windows closed and the air conditioning on and reduce activity. Over the weekend, local air quality conditions can be accessed at nvair.ndep.nv.gov or you can visit the Washoe County site at www.ourcleanair.com.
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The King Fire grew by about 3,000 acres overnight and is currently 76,376 acres with 10 percent containment, Cal Fire officials said Friday morning. Highway 50 has reopened. Expect delays and partial lane closures. Westbound traffic is reduced to 1 lane from Riverton to Pollock Pines.
Friday's firefighting concerns include changes in the weather. Late afternoon winds are expected to come from the east and northeast. Winds will be strongest at the higher elevations and on the ridge tops. Humidity is expected to be lower and temperatures higher, which is likely to increase fire activity from yesterday.
No structures are reported damaged or destroyed. About 2,800 people are affected by mandatory and advisory evacuations. About 12,000 residences remain threatened, which is the same as reported Thursday.
The current Air Quality Index is listed as Unhealthy since fine particulates (PM 2.5) due to smoke from the King Fire have remained trapped under last night's inversion. You may want to consider limiting outdoor activities this morning if at all possible.
Fortunately for areas east of the Sierra crest, winds will be easterly today pushing smoke out of the Reno/Tahoe areas. This will, hopefully, allow fire fighters to gain some ground while our lungs clear our for the next two to three days.
For more resources about air quality and the location of the forecast graphic below, go here.
- Carson City
- $12
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