Air Quality Worsens in Las Vegas as Wildfire from California Enters Nevada
Smoke and poor air quality affected Las Vegas Valley over the weekend due to a major wildfire that crossed from California into Nevada.
The York Fire was uncontrolled as of Sunday, with flames reaching up to 6 meters in certain parts of California.
Personnel from the Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) established a mobile command center at the California border, and firefighters stand prepared to intervene if the fire advances toward nearby towns in Nevada like Searchlight, which is approximately 20 kilometers from the border.
Firefighters and advanced aircraft designed for firefighting will work to contain and extinguish the expanding fire, as per local media reports.
At this time, there are no intentions to evacuate residents in nearby Nevada neighborhoods.
Through Twitter, the CCFD reassured the public on Sunday stating, "The fire...remains some distance from these areas...and [the Clark County Fire Department (CCFD)] continues to coordinate response and resources with partner agencies."
Poor air quality and haze can affect people with respiratory and cardiac conditions disproportionately.
As of now, the National Weather Service does not anticipate the fire will endanger Las Vegas, which is roughly 45 to 50 miles north of the fire.
Road Closures
Smoke and flames temporarily hindered traffic in Searchlight on Sunday. Highway 164 was blocked in both directions from the Nevada-California border to US 95.
The wildfire originated in Southern California's Mojave National Preserve on Friday. The fire was initially observed near Caruthers Canyon. It moved into Nevada around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to a Las Vegas television station. As of late Sunday, it had spread across over 70,000 acres.
Strong gusts of wind and dry conditions contributed to the fire's progress.
Fire Whirls
Firefighters in California have observed "fire whirls," also known as "fire tornadoes," in the blaze. These are a combination of flames and smoke that result from intense heat and winds.
"They have the potential to spread embers over long distances and can start additional fires ahead of the main fire front," federal officials informed the Los Angeles Times.
Additional fire whirls can modify direction quickly, making them unpredictable and challenging to foresee.
Upcoming forecasted thunderstorms could also generate "sudden, erratic winds," Ashley Nickerson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, further relayed to the Times.
"This makes it very hard to contain a fire," Nickerson added. Maximum sustained winds are expected to persist at 20 to 30 mph.
Frazier Haney, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy, expressed concern about the ecological effects of the wildfire to the Times on Sunday.
"Miles upon miles of invasive grasses act like flash paper in the understory of the Mojave Desert," Haney mentioned. "A wildfire like this one can, in a matter of minutes, wipe out an astounding diversity of species created by nature over tens of thousands of years."
Here is an update from #ClarkCounty and the @ClarkCountyFD regarding the York Fire, burning in the @MojaveNPS and has now moved into Nevada.
Examine the statement attached. pic.twitter.com/Wer45GJejo
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