Weekend rain might wash away smoke

Mother Nature may bring the big firehose to help douse the Mosquito Fire starting Sunday, but Western Nevada will be facing the prospect of smoky conditions until then.

“Oppressive smoke and degraded air quality, courtesy of the Mosquito Fire, will persist through the end of the week,” National Weather Service Reno Meteorologist Dawn Johnson said on Friday morning. “But changes are on the way. An early season storm will bring much cooler conditions along with chances for rain and high elevation snow Sunday through Wednesday.”

As of 11 a.m., the air quality index in Minden was unhealthy at 181 with very unhealthy conditions in Genoa with an index reading of 202. Conditions were worse in Reno, with readings in the hazardous range.

Windy conditions are expected Saturday and Sunday before the storm arrives bringing a good chance of rain to Carson Valley and the Sierra.

Johnson said it’s possible that the smoke plume from the fire burning 50 miles due west of Minden will shift north today, bringing some improvement to the Valley.

After two days of being held at bay, the smoke started to seep into the Valley on Thursday evening, resulting in the Tigers JV Game against Galena being called in the second quarter.

Guidance from the state is that officials will have to make a decision when the air quality index hits 151-200 and postpone the game if it’s 201 or worse, Douglas High Principal Mike Rechs said on Thursday.

The smoke canceled Douglas classes at Lake Tahoe on Monday and UNR on Wednesday.

The Mosquito Fire continued to advance a half mile a day east up the Sierra Nevada overnight growing to about 75,000 acres. Nearly 4,000 firefighters have got a line around a fifth of the blaze.

The fire has cost $44 million to fight since it was first reported on Sept. 6. Forecasters say that more than a quarter-inch of rain is expected over the fire next week, which could help firefighters get it contained before mid-October.

“Much colder temperatures are on the way,” Johnson said, “with the forecast 10-20 degrees below normal Sunday through Wednesday.”

Carson Valley gardens are expected to remain safe with lows dropping into the 40s, but snow could fall on the mountain peaks and temperatures could drop to the 20s in higher Sierra valleys.