Learn about radon in Reno during National Radon Action Month

Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that comes from the ground. It accumulates in homes and can cause lung cancer. This type of lung cancer is preventable and the only way to know if a home has elevated levels is to test.

Free radon test kits are easy to use and available at University of Nevada Cooperative Extension offices and partner offices around the state. Nevadans are encouraged to take advantage of this free offer to test their homes for this dangerous gas. If radon is detected, there are fairly inexpensive ways to reduce the radon exposure to safe levels.

Visit “Radon Hazard in Reno Area Homes and Businesses” for a list of locations where free test kits are available around Reno and Nevada. If you can’t get to a location to pick up a kit, there is information about how to order one through the mail.

Learn more from “Radon Hazard in Reno Area Homes and Businesses.” Check this Nevada Statewide Radon Potential map and you’ll see that Reno and much of the surrounding area are among the highest risk zones.

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Washoe County burn code

Home heating season is here in Washoe County. For lots of people, that means lighting up the fireplace or woodstove when the temperature dips down. When doing so, however, residents need to pay attention to the burn code, which lets us know if using wood-burning fireplaces and stoves is allowed, discouraged or prohibited. The goal is to maintain healthy air quality for all residents.

The burn code is administered by the Washoe County Health District (WCHD) Air Quality Management Division (AQMD). The “Green, Yellow, Red Burn Code” program applies to specific zip codes from Washoe Valley extending up to, and including, Silver Knolls. The code addresses all solid fuels including wood, pellets and fire logs. Burning coal, garbage and numerous other items is prohibited.

The code is in force each year from November 1 through the end of February. It can change on a daily basis. To learn the current code, follow AQMD on Twitter or Facebook, or watch local TV meteorologists and/or check the newspaper.

Winter is coming – be prepared for snowy driving in the Reno area

If you are new to Reno, you may not have experienced the full range of weather conditions we can get in the Truckee Meadows and nearby areas. It can go from balmy to blustery quickly, and it varies quite a bit from year to year. With climate change, the extremes have gotten even more extreme.

The City of Reno has procedures in place to deal with rainy and snowy weather, as does Sparks, Washoe County and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Check out these precautions – it is important for residents to know what to expect when the snow flies and roads get wet and slick from stormy weather.

Reno, Sparks and Washoe County have in place an interlocal agreement to assist each other as needed when there is a declared snow emergency. When it really gets bad, everyone throughout the Truckee Meadows works together in the interest of public safety.

Get further information and links from “Reno Area Winter Driving and Snow Removal.”