Carson City area remains in path of California wildfire smoke
Wildfire smoke from the Detwiler Fire in Mariposa County, Calif. remains across Carson City, Douglas and Lyon County as well as into Pershing, Churchill, and Mineral counties.
Afternoon winds Wednesday helped to disperse the smoke north of Carson City, however, the weather service anticipates areas of smoke and haze to remain across the region through Thursday and potentially Friday.
"Carson City is closer to the source of the fire and smoke doesn't leave the area as quickly," said Marvin Boyd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, noting the air quality in Reno had improved but Carson City's had not. "We're cautiously optimistic for some improvement by afternoon due to some mixing."
The air quality for the Carson City and Carson Valley areas as of Thursday, 11 a.m. was considered "unhealthy."
According to AirNow.gov "Unhealthy" AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
Boyd said the smoke issue depends on the nature of the fire and efforts to stop it. If it gets hot again and puts out more smoke, western Nevada remains in the path.
As of Thursday morning the Detwiler Fire had burned 70,096 acres, was 10 percent contained, has destroyed 45 structures and threatens 1,500 homes, according to CalFire.
Due to elevated particulate pollution levels, children, the elderly, people with heart or lung problems, or people with current illnesses such as the flu, are advised to stay indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activities in the impacted areas.
For the latest Air Quality Index please visit: www.airnow.gov. On Wednesday, Carson City Health and Human Services provided information about how to cope with the smoke, including bringing your pets indoors. See the story here.
Carson Tahoe Health recommends:
— Shelter in place, stay indoors
— Keep hydrated to progress a cough and help prevent smoky air from settling in the lungs
— Use air conditioning if possible, to help filter air throughout a house
— Keep all doors and windows shut in both home and vehicles, if in a vehicle make sure the air conditioner is set to reticulate the air
— Humidifiers will help the air quality in a home or building
— Masks are available for purchase at hardware stores and can really help filter the air and aid in comfort
— At-risk individuals such as those with certain health conditions, young children, and the elderly should be extra mindful of these guidelines for optimal safety.
Seek emergency care if:
— You are having trouble breathing or can’t say more than four words without having to stop and take a breath
— You experience excessive sweating
— Your lips are turning blue
— You are confused or lose consciousness
Go here for details on staying safe through heavy smoke conditions.
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