Word of the day: Pyrocumulous

If you’ve been in Reno the past month, and you didn’t already know the word pyrocumulous, you probably know it now. A pyrocumulous is in essence, a cloud caused by fire, smoke and ash. For a more specific definition, click here.

RHS member Steff’s 49 1/2 Ruben was flying in the area for work and shared some photos he took of the fires/smoke.

Smoke from California Fires blowing into Nevada

Smoke from California Fires blowing into Nevada

Welcome to Nevada, California's designated smoking area...

Despite the joke about smoking areas, wild fires are serious, and deadly. Our thoughts are with those whose lives have been directly and indirectly impacted by wildfires.

Reno has literally been choking on the smoke blowing in from surrounding forest fires. The smoke has been so thick and heavy that flights have been diverted! The air quality has ranged from moderate to unhealthy in August. Our homes (well, at least mine) have begun to smell like smoke, and walking out to find ash covered vehicles (and airplanes!) has been quite disheartening.

Just in case you were wondering, the N95 mask is the appropriate mask to wear to protect yourself from wildfire smoke and ash if you need to be outside.

We hope you and yours are safe and breathing filtered air indoors. We also hope wildfire season ends soon.

Reno’s Air Quality for the month of August 2021. Moderate (yellow) to unhealthy (purple). No green in sight…