Thursday, March 30, 2023 | 6:44 p.m.
The Clark County Division of Air Quality issued today a seasonal wildfire smoke and ground-level ozone pollution advisory as the summer months approach.
Air quality may worsen during this time as a result of increased chances that wildfire smoke will drift into Southern Nevada, which can influence ozone formation and increase pollution levels, according to air quality forecasters.
The advisory takes effect Saturday and will last through the end of September.
“In five of our past six summers, wildfire smoke has had a negative impact on Clark County’s air quality,” Paul Fransioli, DAQ senior air quality forecaster, said in a press release. “Though the smoke influence was significantly lower last year, it still contributed to some of our ozone exceedance days in 2022.”
People with respiratory problems, cardiac disease, young children and senior citizens can be sensitive to elevated levels of air pollution, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
There were 14 days in 2022 where the DAQ registered ground-level ozone that exceeded the EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, according to the press release. It was a 50% decline from the total of 28 exceedance days in the previous year.
Ozone is a colorless and odorless gas that “is a key ingredient of urban smog,” said the Division of Air Quality. It can build up during the day in sweltering summer months as a result of strong sunlight, hot temperatures, gasoline and chemical vapors and pollutants from cars, wildfires and regional transport.
The EPA said that exposure to ozone can irritate your respiratory system and cause coughing, a sore throat, chest pain and shortness of breath even in healthy individuals.
The Clark County Division of Air Quality is encouraging people in the next few months to stay indoors during smoky days, limit outdoor activity when ozone levels are elevated, keep windows and doors closed, change indoor air filters, schedule activities for the morning or evening when ozone levels are usually lower and substitute workouts with less intense activities.
Residents can check air pollution through the Division of Air Quality’s monitoring network, which has stations across the Las Vegas Valley and can be accessed at this website: DESAQMonitoring.ClarkCountyNV.gov.
The Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability posts air quality advisories and updates through their social media channels at SustainClarkCty on Twitter or SustainClarkCounty on Instagram and Facebook. Residents can also sign up for daily text and email messages with air quality information, advisories and alerts at https://www.enviroflash.info/.
