Our seasonal wildfire smoke-ozone advisory is in effect from Tuesday, April 1 - Tuesday, Sept. 30. As wildfires have become more prevalent during the summer months in recent years, smoke from distant fires frequently blows into Clark County, elevating particulate matter pollution as well as influencing ozone formation. Wildfire smoke has contributed to some of our heaviest ozone seasons.
“Ozone concentrations are higher in the summer in the Vegas Valley due to a combination of homegrown pollutants, lots of sunshine and transport of ozone-producing pollutants from elsewhere,” DAQ Senior Meteorologist Paul Fransioli. “When you factor in the mountainous surroundings and Vegas becomes a perfect bowl for ozone to ‘cook’.”
Check out the information below for more information about what causes ozone, how you can protect yourself from it and how you can help reduce ground-level ozone in the summertime. Click here for the advisory.
Current EPA 24-hour standard for ozone is 70 parts per billion.
You have questions. We've got answers. Click a topic below for helpful videos, infographics and information to help you understand ozone, how it impacts local air quality (and your health) and how you can help reduce ozone.
Each summer, ground-level ozone presents Clark County’s greatest air quality challenge. What causes ozone? How is it created and what can we do about it? Watch this video and learn how you can help us protect the air we share.
According to the EPA, an exceedance for ground-level ozone occurs when ozone concentrations are greater than 70 parts per billion (ppb) over the course of eight rolling hours per 24 hours in a day. As concentrations of ground-level ozone increase, so increases the Air Quality Index. This chart provides a year-over-year total of days when ozone concentrations exceeded the current 70 ppb standard.
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The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a measurement tool to gauge air pollution. It runs from 0 – 500 and is used to measure six pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. The higher the AQI value, the greater level of air pollution and greater the health concern.
Ground-level ozone is formed when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mix with oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in ultraviolet rays and heat. VOCs are emitted gases from fumes from fuel, paints, chemicals, personal care products and even some plants and vegetation.
Examples of NOx emissions are vehicle exhaust, gases from industry and wildfire smoke. Stagnant weather conditions and the topographic structure of the Las Vegas Valley help trap these pollutants, causing levels to rise. Exposure to ozone can irritate your respiratory system and cause coughing, a sore throat, chest pain and shortness of breath even in healthy people, according to the EPA.
Short answer: a lot. In addition to our regulatory duties of compliance and permitting actions toward local businesses with active air permits, we also monitor local air quality and keep you informed if and when ozone, dust or other particulate matter may impact outdoor air quality.
Currently, we are developing a series of new rules, designed to reduce homegrown, ozone-producing pollutants. The goal of these rules is to reduce ozone concentrations in Clark County to fall below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for ozone. As this chart below depicts, ground-level ozone in Clark County has reduced greatly over the past 20 years or so. Nevertheless, we’re working every day to improve it.
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