Tahoe air quality is the worst in the country due to Caldor Fire smoke

Areas in and around Lake Tahoe and Reno are posting the worst air quality readings in the country as smoke from the Caldor Fire makes skies look Mars-like.

Currently, AirNow shows parts of Lake Tahoe are experiencing hazardous levels — which means an air quality index reading of over 300 — of particulate matter 2.5. The Reno area has similar poor air quality, with readings between 200 and 300, and the area around Carson City is affected by unhealthy air as well, according to AirNow.

Real-time city rankings from IQAir show the top 10 cities with the worst air quality all fall in Placer, El Dorado, and Washoe counties. IQAir shows Kings Beach has the worst air quality, with a reading of 430, which falls in the hazardous category.

Washoe County in Nevada beat its record for 24-hour average air quality with an average reading of 291, the county’s air quality management division said Tuesday. That record topples one that was just set Sunday. The top 10 worst daily average air quality index readings for PM 2.5 in Washoe County have all come in the past 11 months, according to the air quality management division.

The county on Monday also issued its first-ever Stage 3 Emergency Episode because of the wildfire smoke. Schools were closed for the second day in a row in Washoe due to the dangerous air.

The hellish skies are part of what The Bee in a recent report called “the summer of climate change.” Excessively dry conditions are making the state ripe for extreme wildfire behavior, the Bee reported. In addition to the Caldor Fire, which has caused nearly 25,000 evacuations, the still-burning Dixie Fire is the second-largest wildfire incident in California history.

Air quality officials emphasize that if you can smell smoke, you should stay inside. With AQI readings as high as they are in the Tahoe area, everyone should avoid exposure, not just at-risk groups.

This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 1:50 PM.