KTNV — The Gifford fire is still burning, meaning the smoke is still hanging over the Las Vegas valley. We have some tips to help you manage while the reduced air quality.
We also want to remind you of some rules of the road to help keep kids safe as the new school year approaches.
If you've walked outside in the past 24 hours, you could see it, you could smell it, and you may have felt it in your eyes, nose and throat.
Wildfire smoke has created unhealthy air quality conditions across the Las Vegas valley.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the Gifford fire, which has now burned more than 72,000 acres. It's only 3% contained..
It's threatening 460 structures across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
Meanwhile, a new fire has broken out overnight near Big Bear Lake, and winds are pushing smoke from both fires directly into our area.
Clark County Air Quality Specialist Dr. Keving Taylor said that's creating some of the worst air quality we've seen all year.
It's especially dangerous for children, the elderly and people with respirator conditions.
Officials say people with asthma or other health conditions should limit outdoor exposure. They also recommend keeping your windows and doors closed, changing air filters and staying indoors when possible.
Road safety reminders ahead of the first day of school
We know many of you are holding on to the last few days of summer break, but we want to remind you about road safety and a few things that could just save a life.
Anyssa Bohanana is at Hyde Park Middle School with more on what you need to know before students, teachers and staff head back to the classroom.
Following up and getting answers to your questions from our Let's Talk event
We had a great time getting to hear from some of you at Mothership Coffee yesterday as part of our "Let's Talk" back-to-school session.
A big thank you to Mothership Coffee for hosting us, and thank you for some great conversations and thoughts, whether in person or online.
We got a question from Lisa asking "Why can't every high school have a metal detector/security system where students have to walk through to get into their school? Too many guns found on campuses last year!"
Justin Hinton reached out to the CCSD Police Department and was told by a spokesperson that there are two main reasons: funding and logistics.
He said students would have to get to school extra early and if they're staying outside in the heat, it would just be too much.
He also said K9 sniffs and random searches work pretty well. We should not, the department confiscated fewer guns last year.
In need of a job? Job fair happening today
The Klimb job fair will be taking place on Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., hosted by Klimb Jobs as a part of their nationwide campaign to find 2,025 people employment in 2025 by hosting 225 free career fairs across the country.
It will be taking place at the Hilton Garden Inn Las Vegas Strip South, 7830 S. Las Vegas Boulevard.
Local News
In need of a job? Job fairs are coming up next week
Roads are doing fine this morning. Don't see any crashes or construction that could affect your drive.
Remember to start planning to allow extra time in your morning drive starting next week. School will be back in session, so you'll see more traffic from school buses and around school zones.
