Smoke from California fires streams into Vegas

Tuesday, July 20, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

Smoke from Southern California's wildland fires on Monday drifted into the skies of Southern Nevada as temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley soared.

Wildfires north of Los Angeles, in Riverside County and in eastern San Diego spread smoke northeastward, sending haze over the Spring Mountains and into Las Vegas, National Weather Service meteorologist Charlie Schlott said.

"It's like leaving a tap of water running, the smoke flows downhill into the valley," Schlott said.

Combined with a lack of wind as moisture from the weekend rain loses its grip on the valley, the smoke will continue to stream into Southern Nevada on southwesterly winds, which normally keep local skies clear, Schlott said.

"We need a north wind to get rid of the smoke," he said, "and that's not in the offing."

The Clark County Air Quality Division did not issue a pollution advisory on Monday.

"We're watching it," division spokesman Ron Smolinski said.

Ozone, the principal air pollutant in summer months, hovered in the moderate category around the valley on Monday.

Ozone is formed when burning fuel such as oil or gasoline fumes from automobile exhaust stews under the summer sun and can irritate lungs and cause breathing difficulties.

Smolinski said the levels of ozone were too low for issuing a health advisory.

Las Vegas reached an official high of 107 degrees Monday and the valley will continue to bake throughout the week in what Schlott described as typical summertime temperatures.

"It is July," he said.

Although moister weather from the Southwest monsoon season may return next weekend, Las Vegas is expected to remain dry and hot until the weekend, weather service forecasters said.