Dense smoke advisory extended through Friday for Carson City area, Northern Nevada region

Thick, unhealthy smoke from northern California fires continues to saturate outside air Thursday in Carson City, Carson Valley, Lyon County and throughout western and Northern Nevada, prompting the National Weather Service to extend a Dense Smoke Advisory into Friday morning.

Heavy smoke, including thicker particulate matter from active fires across California, will continue to pour into the area. Air quality may fluctuate over the next 24 hours, but is expected to remain unhealthy into at least Friday morning, according to the weather service.

As of Thursday morning Carson City, the Reno area and Gardnerville all reported air quality in the "unhealthy" category, according to airnow.gov.

The advisory continues through 11 a.m. Friday and is for the greater Reno, Carson City, Carson Valley and Lyon County areas as well as the Lake Tahoe Basin, and Lassen and Plumas counties in California.

Visibility below 3 miles at times with unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups and those spending a prolonged period of time outdoors.

The weather service advises people to stay indoors as much as possible when smoke is present. Avoid strenuous activity, especially if you are sensitive to poor air quality, such as the elderly, children and anyone with chronic illness or respiratory problems. Consider postponing outdoor activities. Check airnow.gov for the latest air quality information.

See CarsonWeather.com for updates to this and other weather advisories around the Carson City region.

The following was released late Thursday morning from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection:

With several summer wildfires burning in Northern California and air quality levels reaching an “unhealthy” smoke level in Northern Nevada, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) is encouraging area residents to be mindful of their surroundings and make certain adjustments to stay healthy and safe.

NDEP advises the public to monitor the air quality index (AQI) at www.nvair.ndep.nv.gov to monitor near real-time status updates on air quality. The AQI focuses on health effects individuals may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. Hourly air quality updates can also be found at www.airnow.gov.

As respiratory health is top of mind for all of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that residents take steps to avoid exposure to unhealthy air.

Local health experts recommend the following safety precautions. Source: https://blog.carsontahoe.com/stay-safe-in-the-smoke/

— Stay inside

— Refrain from exercising outdoors

— Keep hydrated to suppress a cough and help prevent smoky air from settling in lungs

— Limit use of vacuums and gas stoves

— Keep windows and doors closed, and use air conditioning if possible to help filter air throughout the house, and
When driving your car in smoky areas, keep your windows and vents closed, make sure it’s set to re-circulate so you’re not bringing in outside air.

NDEP and local officials will continue to closely monitor smoke impacts and air quality in Northern Nevada. You can also follow the AirNow.Gov Twitter feed for more information @AirNow. General information is also available on the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Twitter feed @NevDCNR.