Clark County’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued a dust alert for Tuesday, July 1. High winds from the south with speeds of 40 mph, along with gusts exceeding 60 mph are expected to cause blowing dust into the evening. Residents and local construction sites should take necessary precautions.
Airborne dust is a form of inhalable air pollution called particulate matter or PM, which aggravates respiratory diseases. Under windy conditions people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children may feel better staying indoors as much as possible because they could be at greater risk from particulates, especially when they are physically active, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult your physician if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to air pollution.
The EPA’s Air Quality Index translates air quality data into colors to help people understand when they may experience health effects from air pollution. An AQI of 101 or more is considered a level that may be unhealthy for sensitive groups of people.
Tips to limit exposure to dust include:
- Limit outdoor exertion on windy days when dust is in the air.
- Keep windows and doors closed.
- Run your air conditioner inside your house and car to filter out particulates.
- Consider changing your indoor air filters if they are dirty.
- To keep dust down, drive slowly on unpaved roads.
- Don’t take short cuts across vacant lots.
- Ride off-road vehicles in approved areas outside the urban Las Vegas Valley.
- Call Environment and Sustainability’s dust complaint hotline at 702-385-DUST (3878) to report excessive amounts of blowing dust from construction sites, vacant lots or facilities.
STAY UP TO DATE WITH LOCAL AIR QUALITY INFORMATION
- Daily Air Quality Forecast Website: DESAQMonitoring.ClarkCountyNV.gov.
- Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ClarkCountyDES; Twitter/X: @ClarkCountyDES and Instagram: @clarkcountydes.
- Daily Text/Email Alerts: www.enviroflash.org.
- AIRNow Mobile App: https://www.airnow.gov/airnow-mobile-app/.
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Located in Clark County, Nevada, the Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is the region’s air pollution control agency. DES also administers the Desert Conservation Program and leads the All-In Clark County initiative to address climate impacts in Southern Nevada. Whether it’s protecting the air we share, protecting species like the desert tortoise or making home and vehicle electrification easier for residents, our team is united by our shared passion to create a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable Southern Nevada.
Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.4 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2023). Included are the nation’s 5th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.