With more than five million acres burned in the West Coast’s wildfires, air pollution has become a health concern for citizens and local authorities in Nye County.
Pahrump Fire Chief Scott Lewis believes that it is impossible to see wildfires in a region where no vegetation exists. However, his department is ready to challenge the threat and to order possible evacuations in the worst-case scenario.
“In the event, we have a significant fire here in Pahrump, we will address it at the point of getting the risk far away and keeping the people sheltered in place,” Lewis said. “I don’t think anyone has enough personnel for wildfires like California… but if we experience a significant wildfire, we do have access to federal, state, and county resources.”
On Wednesday, a warning statement about the air quality in the valley the official Nye County Facebook page posted. County authorities recommend people to stay home as much time as possible while the advisory remains in place.
The AirNow tool that can be accessed online or through cell phones app, issued a “moderate” air quality advisory for the city of Pahrump. Nonetheless, the advisory for Carson City, the capital of the state, is labeled as “unhealthy.”
The American Lung Association believes that even healthy adults can experience coughing and difficulty breathing due to wildfires smoke. The association stated on its website that smoke can shorten lives and cause heart and asthma attacks including other dangerous illnesses.