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Smoke from the Tamarack fire drifted across the South Lake Tahoe area on Sunday evening, briefly worsening air quality before dissipating on Monday, according to air quality data.
At around 6 p.m. on Sunday, the air quality was rated “very unhealthy” with an AQI of 222 in South Lake Tahoe, according to AirNow.gov’s Fire and Smoke map. Dark, smoky skies have engulfed the South Lake Tahoe area, according to some social media posts.
Megan Bronson of Fresno said they cut their trip with their wife short Monday morning because Bronson suffered from asthma.
“Last night the air quality was a lot worse than it was around 7am this morning when we left,” Bronson said. “If you had stood still last night, you could see ash swirling in the air. “
As of Monday morning, much of the Lake Tahoe area cleared up and air quality is now rated “good”. It will likely stay that way unless the smoke from the Tamarack fire moves northwest, meteorologists say.
Air quality in the area “has improved since (Sunday) night,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Shane Snyder.
“The winds may come a little more suddenly tonight, but the worst conditions are expected in western Nevada,” Snyder added, such as the Gardnerville, Carson City and Virginia City areas.
Some businesses and tourism experts said Sunday’s air quality had no impact on travel, although one resort announced it was closed on Monday “due to inclement weather.”
“We’ve had some great flights in recent days. Smoke came in later in the afternoon yesterday, but we could see clearly around the lake again this morning, ”said Gabriel Gundling, owner of Lake Tahoe Balloons.
“People don’t cancel reservations or leave town,” said Jennifer Boyd Lemming, spokesperson for TahoeSouth.com., A tourist information website.
The Heavenly Mountain Resort announced on Twitter Monday afternoon that it was closing for the day “due to inclement weather.”
The Weather Service’s Reno office said on Twitter that thunderstorms were expected Monday afternoon and could affect areas near Hawthorne, Yerington, Fernley, Fallon and Lovelock in Nevada.
The resort previously closed on Sunday due to poor air quality, then reopened on Monday morning.
Jessica Flores is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores
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