Christmas is only 8 days away, and all across Reno residents have put up festive lights to celebrate the holidays. But some lights that are gaining popularity come with unexpected dangers.
These laser lights can save you a lot of time and money while decorating your home for the holidays-- and they can make your house look like a moving art display!
But, while they may look beautiful, they could pose extreme danger to air traffic.
"If the public aren’t aiming the lasers at the right spot, they can easily go past the house and get in the way of aircraft that are landing going into Reno/Tahoe international airport, or just out flying around like Care Flight and Raven,” said Doug Russell, Chief Pilot for Washoe County Sheriff’s Raven.
And while you may think that a tiny laser has little to no chance of accidentally shining into the cockpit of an aircraft, the beam actually spreads due to diffraction, and can be 4 to 5 feet wide miles away.
This can be especially dangerous for care flight or raven, which are doing everything from transporting a patient to preforming search and rescue missions, and have to immediately disengage their course for safety.
Officials recommend that you position your laser lights no higher than your roof awning and check them daily, as the smallest movement could send the beams into the sky.
While it may be tempting to shine the laser up into the trees, it’s not recommended, because they can still peak through the branches and blind aircraft.
Officials also say to make sure not to point your lights into the street, and read the safety instructions before using them.
