Officials urge residents to sign up for real-time air quality notifications

Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) officials said that on June 14-15, 2024, air quality in the Reno-Sparks area reached a stage for ground-level ozone that was unhealthy for sensitive groups. 

The event exceeded national air quality standards. It occurred between 8 p.m. on June 14 and 3 a.m. on June 15 and was detected at the Lemmon Valley monitoring station. Officials said there is no current threat of ozone exposure.

Francisco Vega with NNPH said, “While there is no current threat to air quality, this notification system helps alert all of us when there are issues that could impact overall health. It’s not only helpful but required by our regulations.”

Get real-time air quality at AirNow.gov and get real-time alerts on ozone levels  in Washoe County at EnviroFlash. The rise in ground-level ozone was attributed to a rare occurrence in which upper atmospheric ozone mixed with ground-level ozone, causing unhealthy levels.

Ground-level ozone can pose health risks and trigger various health problems, including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion.

For individuals with respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma, exposure to elevated ozone levels can exacerbate symptoms. 

Source: NNPH