Air quality advisory will expire at 9am

 Air quality has improved so the advisory in southern Mesa and western Montrose will expire at 9am Saturday.  Keep in mind that the weather will be gradually drying out across the Western Slope this weekend, so fire activity could increase again along with smoke production.  We'll continue to keep a close on the fires and will re-issue advisories, if necessary.  

Less smoke across western Colorado

 The horizon is a bit clearer this morning across the Western Slope as smoke levels have decreased for most areas.  The reason behind this is that the local wildfires were much less active yesterday.  This was due to more cloud cover and higher moisture levels. Additionally, transport winds high up in the atmosphere were weaker yesterday.  The weaker transport winds resulted in smoke that was unable to travel as far from the fires as it did earlier this week.  The EPA's Fire and Smoke Map shows mostly moderate levels of particle pollution across the region this morning.

Fine particulate monitors in western Colorado show mostly moderate (yellow) readings Friday morning. Data and map courtesy of EPA's Fire and Smoke Map

The "burning" question today is how will the wildfires behave.  In many ways, it should be fairly similar to yesterday.  Although cloud cover is probably not going to be quite as extensive as yesterday, relative humidity levels will remain fairly high and transport winds will not be strong.  That being said, local thunderstorms could produce gusty, erratic winds which could both increase fire activity and send smoke in any direction.  So the biggest concern in the short-term will for areas in very close vicinity to the fires.  Southern parts of Mesa and western parts of Montrose Counties will be the areas with the highest chance of heavier smoke, especially late Friday night and early Saturday morning. This includes the communities of Gateway, Paradox, and Bedrock.

The weekend outlook includes a gradual drying trend, so the fires may become more active again.  That being said, if you would like to spend some time outdoors in Grand Junction, Delta, Montrose, or some of the local recreational areas such as Grand Mesa, today through tomorrow morning looks like a good option.

Ute 63 wildfire

 The Ute 63 wildfire is located in southwestern La Plata County in close proximity to State Highway 140 and near the New Mexico state line (see map below).  This fire has been active over the past 24 hours and has grown to approximately 537 acres and has spread from the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation to the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.

Location of the Ute 63 wildfire in southwestern La Plata County

Widespread cloud cover and higher relative humidity should be helpful in limiting smoke production today.  However, even though widespread heavy smoke is not anticipated, some areas of heavy smoke will be possible.  The best chance for heavier smoke will be in areas in very close proximity to the fire, particularly during the overnight and early morning hours.  This includes areas along State Highway 140 to the south of Redmesa to the New Mexico state line, along with rural roadways directly to the west of the wildfire.

There are many ways you can help protect your health from wildfire smoke. Please visit CDPHE's Wildfire smoke and health webpage to learn more and sign up for email air quality alerts for your area.  Additionally, you can find current air quality data on the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Air Quality Division webpage and the EPA's AirNow Fire and Smoke map.

Thursday morning wildfire update

 There is some encouraging news in the blog this morning as we are anticipating a little more moisture at the group of wildfires in western Colorado today.  We are not expecting heavy, soaking rainfall, but relative humidity and cloud cover should be somewhat higher than yesterday. This potentially could decrease fire activity and smoke production.  Additionally, the transport winds (the winds high in the atmosphere that carry smoke to distant locations) should also be weaker today. "Moderate" concentrations of fine particulates this morning are an improvement from what we saw yesterday.

Fine particulate measurements in western Colorado show "Moderate" levels of smoke.  Map courtesy of the EPA's fire and smoke map.

With this change in the weather pattern, we have shrunk the advisory footprint this morning.  So we are anticipating better air quality for locations away from the fire, such as Aspen, Gunnison, and Telluride.  However, counties that are close to the fire will continue to have a chance for periods of moderate to heavy smoke.  This includes the entirety of Mesa County, including Grand Junction, along with Delta and Montrose Counties. Residents in this area should continue to take action to protect your health from wildfire smoke.

It is important to know that wildfires are very unpredictable, particularly when they are located in complex terrain like we find in this part of western Colorado.  Therefore, we will closely monitor these fires throughout the day today and will not hesitate to expand the advisory again if necessary.  CDPHE is working closely with the agencies deployed to these fires, including the US Forest Service which has deployed an Air Resource Advisor to the Turner Gulch fire in southern Mesa County.  Additional smoke outlook products from resources deployed at these fires can be found at Inciweb and on the EPA's fire and smoke map.

Western Colorado smoke update

The South Rim, Sowbelly, Turner Gulch, Wright Draw, and Deer Creek Fires are burning in western Colorado and eastern Utah.

 An Air Quality Health Advisory has been in effect for southwest Colorado since Thursday. Today, we have updated the advisory to include Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, Lake, and Chaffee Counties. San Juan and Hinsdale Counties are not under the advisory today. 

Smoke is moving further north and east, along the Colorado River Valley. Particulate Matter has already started to rise in Glenwood Springs, Aspen, and Rifle this morning.

PurpleAir map shows Particulate Matter concentrations this morning.

Thunderstorms are possible throughout western Colorado this afternoon. Gusty winds are possible, which could send smoke in any direction.

If you are sensitive to smoke, take steps to protect your health today. Stay up-to-date on the latest fire and smoke conditions by checking InciWeb and EPA's Fire and Smoke map.

Smoke expands in western Colorado

Wildfires have been the story for western Colorado since Thursday. Today, more Coloradans will be impacted by smoke.

Southern Mesa County has been smoky since Friday, but Grand Junction has been clear. Today, that changes- residents in Grand Junction are waking up to smoke.

Haze in Grand Junction this morning. Image courtesy of FAA Weathercams.

The Air Quality Health Advisory has expanded to include all of Mesa County, Hinsdale County, and San Juan County. Grand Junction, Silverton, and Lake City are now included in the advisory area.

An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect for part of western Colorado.

The South Rim, Sowbelly, Turner Gulch, Wright Draw, and Deer Creek Fires are impacting air quality in western Colorado. 

The best chance for smoke is expected in areas near and downwind of the fires. Westerly to northwesterly winds are forecast for today. This means that locations east and southeast of the fires are likely to see the worst of it. 

If you are particularly sensitive to smoke, it's a good idea to take steps to protect your health today. You can stay up-to-date on the latest fire and smoke conditions on EPA's Fire and Smoke Map or InciWeb.

Wildfire smoke remains a concern for parts of western Colorado

 Hot and dry weather is doing no favors to residents in parts of western Colorado. Four wildfires will continue to pose a threat of moderate to heavy wildfire smoke to that area.  The below map from Inciweb shows the location of these four wildfires.

Location of wildfires in western Colorado and eastern Utah.  Mapping courtesy of Inciweb

  This morning's satellite image reveals some smoke across the area.  It's not overly heavy at the moment, but as the fires get more active Monday afternoon and evening there certainly could be an increase in smoke production.

Satellite imagery reveals smoke (circled in red) across parts of western Colorado and eastern Utah.  Satellite courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

The upper level transport winds will be shifting today from northerly to more westerly and decrease in intensity.  This means that the threat for wildfire smoke will decrease for locations to the south and far to the east, such as Durango, Pagosa Springs, and the San Luis Valley.  The highest threat for wildfire smoke over the next 24 hours will be for locations in close proximity to each of these fires, especially those located in or near drainages below these fires.  One other area of higher concern is in Montrose and San Miguel Counties directly downwind from the Deer Creek wildfire in Utah.  This is the largest of the fires and has the highest likelihood of producing heavy smoke today.  So a special heads up around Montrose and Telluride as it is possible smoke could head your way late in the day Monday and into Monday night.

We urge you to stay up-to-date on the very latest air quality advisories at our website.  Protecting your health is crucial during wildfire smoke episodes.  You can learn how to best protect your health at our wildfire smoke and health webpage.

Lots of smoke in Colorado on Friday, varying impacts by region

Fire activity has picked up across the west, including several new starts within Colorado. The greatest impacts are bring experienced by folks in southwestern parts of the state. Smoke from the Sowbelly Fire in southeast Mesa County, the South Rim Fire in eastern Montrose County, and the Deer Creek Fire in Utah (just west of the Colorado Border, west of Montrose County) are the primary sources of smoke locally. However several fires in other states are contributing as well.

Satellite image from 7:50 am on Friday July 11th shows smoke impacting many areas of southwestern Colorado, with heavy smoke lingering in mountain valleys. Image courtesy of CIRA/CSU.

The Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke has been expanded to include much of the 4-Corners/SW Colorado region. Daytime mixing of the atmosphere may decrease smoke in many areas during the day on Friday, however with hot and dry conditions expected to continue, fire activity and smoke production will likely result in similar impacts Friday night and Saturday morning; potentially continuing through the coming weekend.

Map from EPA's fire.airnow.gov shows the locations of fires and monitored smoke impacts in southwestern Colorado on Friday morning.

While our focus remains in the areas that are most severely impacted by smoke, hazy skies and light-to-moderate concentrations are possible statewide. Surface impacts will likely vary greatly from place to place and at different times throughout the day. We encourage anyone who is sensitive to fine particulate pollution to consider taking action to protect their health. Information can be found on our webpage to help determine what steps are appropriate.

We will keep a close watch on all of these incidents and will post developments and our expectations here as things progress.

Thursday afternoon smoke update

It has been an eventful day in Colorado, to say the least. We are tracking smoke in three separate areas.

First, multiple fires have sparked in western Colorado, including the South Rim Fire. An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect for Montrose, Delta, and southern Mesa Counties until 9 am Friday morning. 

Fire hotspots (in red) on GOES-19 Satellite imagery. Multiple fires have sparked this afternoon in Colorado and Utah.

Second, smoke has moved into the Front Range. Particulate Matter concentrations in Longmont, Boulder, and Denver are starting to climb. This smoke originated from the Mount Irish Fire in Nevada. Smoke in the upper atmosphere moved into Colorado this morning. Now, that smoke has mixed down to the surface.

Third, the Mount View fire is burning north of Buena Vista. Refer to the Chafee County Sheriff's office for the latest information on evacuations. We do not expect any major public health impacts from smoke in this area. We will watch the situation and provide an update if anything changes.

If you are sensitive to smoke or near a fire, it's a good idea to take steps to protect your health. For the most up-to-date air quality data, check out CDPHE's monitors or PurpleAir sensors.

Black Canyon wildfire

 Wildfires have broken out on both rims of the Black Canyon near Montrose.  No smoke advisories at the moment but we will continue to monitor the situation.

Band 7 infrared satellite image shows a hot spot from wildfires at Black Canyon. Image courtesy of Colorado State University.

Smoky skies across the state on Thursday

Smoke is visible on satellite imagery, moving into Colorado from the southwest. However, it looks like this smoke hasn't yet mixed down to the ground. For the morning, smoke will remain in the upper atmosphere, but there may be a noticeable haze in the sky.

Thursday afternoon, as atmospheric mixing kicks in, smoke may mix down to the ground. Western Colorado has the highest chance of smoke reaching the surface. This includes Grand Junction, Rifle, and Steamboat Springs. 

No major public health impacts are expected at this time. People who are very sensitive to smoke may want to take steps to protect their health. We will update the blog if conditions worsen.

GOES-19 visible satellite image shows smoke (circled in red) moving into Colorado from Utah.

Hazy skies and light smoke possible in NW Colorado

Fire activity is pleasantly minimal in much of the western U.S. at the moment. The primary incident that may have effects in Colorado is the Madre Fire in southern California. Smoke from this fire is heading our way, however the plumes that have been produced so far are not overly concerning for air quality impacts in Colorado.

Smoke may arrive in areas of northwestern Colorado on Saturday. Hazy skies and the potential for light concentrations of particulate matter are possible in areas such as Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs, and areas near Dinosaur National Monument.

Significant health impacts are not anticipated. However folks who are sensitive to particle pollution should consider taking it easy, particularly if spending time outdoors in northwestern Colorado this weekend.

No smoke yet for Colorado this week

 This week, Coloradans are breathing in less smoke.

Last week, smoke from fires in Colorado and Utah affected western Colorado. Fire activity is lower this week, and smoke has cleared from Colorado.

As of today, Red Flag Warnings are in effect for parts of Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. If fires spark in these upwind states, smoke could return to the conversation. We will watch for new fire starts and update the blog as necessary. 

Heading outdoors this holiday weekend? The US Forest Service has tips on how you can prevent wildfires. 

EPA's Fire and Smoke Map shows air quality across the Continental United States. Particulate Matter is Good to Moderate for the majority of the country. 

Smoke impacts in Colorado will vary by location on Friday

There is a lot gong on with regard to wildfires and smoke this morning. We have 2 wildfires burning in Colorado, and additional smoke being transported from out-of-state fires. Lets dig in.

Early morning satellite imagery shows smoke and haze in many areas. Notable concentrations of smoke can be seen in valleys and lower-lying terrain on the western slope and northern mountain areas. Additional haze can be seen spilling over to areas of the Front Range. Three areas will see impacts from smoke, each to varying degrees.

Satellite image, courtesy CIRA/CSU, shows wildfire smoke in areas of northern Colorado on Friday morning. Smoke is seen in valley areas and low-lying terrain, as well as dispersed concentrations of smoke across larger areas, including the northern Front Range region. Time of image is 7:40 am MDT on 6/27/2025.

The greatest impacts from smoke will be experienced in locations near the Hilltop Fire in Garfield County. An Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke has been issued for areas along and near the Colorado River and I-70, from Parachute to Rulison. Smoke is expected to linger along the valley floor in this area, producing the highest concentrations of smoke during overnight and early morning hours. As daytime mixing and winds increase, smoke concentrations may decrease somewhat during the afternoon and evening hours. Folks in this area should remain aware of current and changing conditions in order to reduce exposure and potential health impacts from smoke.

Google maps image shows the general area of the Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke, and the location of the Hilltop Fire near Rulison, CO on Friday June 27, 2025.

The second area of interest for smoke impacts is in southwestern Moffat County in northwest Colorado, due to the Horse Draw fire. This fire is located in a mainly rural area of Moffat County along Highway 40, northeast of Rangely, CO. Broad public health impacts from this fire are not expected. However, higher amounts of smoke are possible in close proximity to the fire and the transport of smoke may cause hazy skies and light to moderate concentrations of fine particulates in downwind areas. These effects may reach communities such as Craig, Hayden, and Steamboat Springs. 

Lastly, there is a broad potential for the influence from smoke over large areas of northern portions of Colorado, including the northern Front Range region. Concentrations of fine particulates (smoke) are expected to remain Good to Moderate in most areas on Friday, however we will keep a close watch on air quality conditions for any potential changes. 

As always, we urge people in all areas to take appropriate measures to reduce exposure to smoke and protect your health. Information can be found on our wildfire smoke and health webpage to help decide which measures are right for you.

We will continue to provide further information and updates on all of these situations as they develop.

2 new starts in Colorado

Two new fires have emerged on Thursday. The Hilltop fire is located in south central Garfield County, near Rulison, CO. The Horse Draw fire is in southwest Moffat County, northeast of Rangely, CO.  Information is limited on both of these fires, including location, size estimates, and extent of air quality impacts. However it is expected that areas near these fires will be impacted by moderate to heavy amounts of smoke. 

In areas near these fires, including along I-70 near Rulison, CO and along Highway 40 southwest of Maybell, CO, people who are sensitive to smoke should consider reducing exertion, and take measures to limit exposure to smoke. Health information and tips on reducing exposure can be found on CDPHE's webpage about wildfire smoke and health.

Map of northwest Colorado showing a satellite image indicating two new wildfires, one in southwest Moffat County and one in south central Garfield County. Image time is 6:20 pm MDT, Thursday June 26th. Image credit CIRA/CSU.

Watching Utah wildfires

 For the moment, air quality levels across most of Colorado have been in the Good to Moderate range as only light amounts of out-of-state wildfire smoke have arrived.  Today we will continue to monitor several fires outside of Colorado, but especially a couple of ongoing fires in southern Utah.  Any smoke that is produced at these two fires will likely carry in a northeasterly direction this afternoon and evening towards northwestern Colorado. There is a good chance the Utah wildfires will be active on Saturday due to weather conditions, and keep in mind that most of the Western Slope is under a Red Flag Warning. With that in mind, local wildfire initiation will also be a threat.

Morning "hot spots" on satellite from southern Utah wildfires

Red Flag Warnings throughout western Colorado on Saturday

Potential Smoke on Friday

People throughout Colorado may be breathing in smoke on Friday.

Models are showing smoke moving into the Western Slope on Thursday afternoon. This smoke could reach cities on the eastern Plains by Friday.

How much smoke? That depends on how much the fires grow. The France Canyon Fire, the Buck Fire, and the Trout Fire are three major fires to watch. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for parts of western Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Weather conditions on Thursday and Friday could enhance these fires. If any new fires spark, they could grow quickly.

If you're sensitive to smoke, you may want to take health precautions on Thursday and Friday. 

CDPHE's website has information on how to protect your health during smoke episodes. 

Want to stay up-to-date on the air quality in your community? CDPHE's Air Quality Map and PurpleAir's Sensor Network have real-time air quality information.

We will provide an update on Friday.

Possible Smoke in Western Colorado Thursday

Fires in Utah and New Mexico are producing smoke that could begin to impact the Centennial State on Thursday. 

Smoke from the Buck Fire and the Trout Fire in southwestern New Mexico, and the France Canyon Fire in southwestern Utah is visible on satellite imagery.

Smoke from these fires could move into western Colorado on Thursday. Locations in southwestern Colorado, including Cortez and Durango, may wake up to hazy skies on Thursday morning. Smoke will begin to mix down to the surface Thursday afternoon across the entire Western Slope. 

People who are sensitive to particle pollution, particularly wildfire smoke, may want to take precautions on Thursday afternoon. Visit CDPHE's website for more information on how to protect your health when smoke is in the air.

Additionally, Thursday is expected to be the warmest day yet this week- temperatures are expected to be 10-15 degrees above normal, possibly hitting triple digits in Grand Junction and Palisade. CDPHE's website also has resources for how to protect your health during extreme heat.

A hot, hazy Juneteenth is in store for western Colorado- be safe out there!

Smoke is visible in Utah and New Mexico. Image courtesy of RAMMB CIRA Slider.

Wildfires burning in several upwind states, Colorado impacts limited for now

 As summer continues to heat up, the peppered look of satellite fire detections has also flickered to life. Fires have emerged in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico (as well as other states and Canada), and have at times put off reasonably notable plumes of smoke. However thus far, not too much of that smoke has reached Colorado at levels that affect air quality. This is good news!

There are enough indicators that these fires are capable of growth and smoke production that motivated us to make this post, however there are other limiting factors (and some uncertainty) that helps to keep our concerns fairly low for now.

The bottom line is that hazy skies are possible for many areas of Colorado, particularly on the Western Slope. These may periodically reach the mountains and eastern plains too, yet significant health impacts look unlikely at this time. Light amounts of smoke may be experienced in areas where smoke plumes and atmospheric conditions align just right. However in the near-term these are likely to be episodic and transient.

As always, we will keep our eyes on things and will report any changes in expectations if any come about in the coming days.

Hazy start to the week for eastern Colorado

 Although the heaviest of the Canadian wildfire smoke remains to the east of Colorado, some smoke is noticeable Monday morning across the eastern half of the state.  Although widespread, significant health impacts are not anticipated at this time, you could certainly experience some mild to moderate respiratory symptoms today.  This is especially true if you suffer from any type of lung disease, such as asthma or COPD.  Please see our wildfire smoke and health webpage to learn how to best protect your health, or consult with your health provider.

The heaviest of the smoke today looks like it will impact the northeastern corner of the state, including Sterling, Holyoke and Julesburg.  Some improvement is expected by tomorrow.

Hazy sunrise over Cheyenne Wells.  Image courtesy of Viaero weather cameras.

Heaviest smoke stays east of Colorado

 For the time being, Colorado is avoiding the worst of the smoke impacts coming from large wildfires in Canada. The below satellite image from Saturday afternoon shows a large whirl of smoke across the central U.S. moving to the southeast.  This has kept the heavy smoke out of Colorado for the most part, with just slightly elevated fine particulate (PM2.5) levels across the northeastern corner of the state.  Some light amounts of smoke could linger overnight and possibly be pulled into the northern Front Range region by Sunday morning.  So it's not out of the question that there could be a hazy sky overhead on Sunday for Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins and Greeley.  However, major health impacts from smoke appear unlikely at this point.

Visible satellite image showing smoke over South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and other states to the east.

Hazy skies on Friday, limited surface impacts expected

There is good news and bad news on Friday morning. The bad news is that the plume of smoke from Canadian wildfires has reached Colorado. The good news is that the vast bulk of the smoke has remained aloft, and virtually no surface impacts have been seen as of Friday morning. We expect that hazy skies will be present over the region Friday and into Saturday, but we remain optimistic that this will be the main impacts that we see.

Satellite image from CIRA shows a plume of smoke over the Colorado Front Range and eastern plains at 8:40 am (1440 UTC) on Friday, May 30, 2025.

As the large-scale atmospheric pattern shifts eastward, the likelihood of a long-lasting transport episode decreases. However within the transport that is already underway, the possibility of seeing some of this smoke reach the surface cannot be ruled out entirely. The current outlook shows increasing surface concentrations most likely on Saturday afternoon, with AQI levels remaining in the Good to Moderate range.

Hazy skies expected on Friday, possible light to moderate areas of smoke in E Colorado

Large wildfires in Canada are producing plumes of smoke that are moving into the U.S. Some of this smoke will move over Colorado on Friday. The bulk of the smoke is expected to remain aloft, however hazy skies are likely for areas east of the Continental Divide; including the Front Range and eastern plains of Colorado. 

Satellite image from CIRA shows a smoke plume at 3 pm on Thursday afternoon (21Z 5/29/25, circled in red) from Canadian wildfires over North Dakota and Montana.

Although there may be significant amounts of smoke in the atmosphere above our state, only some of this smoke has a chance to reach the surface and affect air quality. Currently, models are only showing light to moderate amounts of fine particulates near the surface, possibly arriving Friday afternoon and evening. 

Map from the HRRR-Smoke model of near-surface smoke at 6 pm on Friday, May 30th (00z 5/31/25) showing areas of light to moderate smoke in eastern Colorado.

As of this writing (Thursday afternoon) surface impacts have not been observed in monitored values in areas where smoke may have mixed downward. A good deal of uncertainty still remains with this situation, so we will continue to monitor things as they evolve, and will continue to provide updates as they develop. We are not expecting significant public health impacts from this event, however those who are highly sensitive to smoke/particulate pollution can find info and recommendations on ways to protect your health on CDPHE's Wildfire smoke and health page.

San Juan National Forest Prescribed Fire- May 27, 2025

The San Juan National Forest is planning a large broadcast burn on Tuesday, May 27 near Dolores, Colorado. Smoke may be visible in Dolores, Mancos, and on highways US-160, US-491, CO-145 and CO-184.

Although no major public health impacts are expected, people who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution may want to consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. You can find more information on how to protect your health on CDPHE's website.

More information on this burn is available on the Prescribed Fire Map and InciWeb.

Map of the San Juan National Forest Haycamp Mesa Prescribed Fire Area. The area highlighted in yellow denotes the location of planned ignitions on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Prescribed burning operations west of Colorado Springs

A prescribed burn is taking place on Friday, May 23rd near Rainbow Gulch, west of Rampart Reservoir. Smoke from this operation may be visible from areas in and near Colorado Springs. For more information, please refer to the Pikes-San Isabel National Forest X page. No public health impacts are expected, however information on smoke & your health can be found on the CPDHE information page.

Prescribed burn operations planned for Friday, May 16th in Boulder County

Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest managers are planning burning operations in the Forsythe II Prescribed Burn area, located 7 miles southwest of Boulder and 5 miles east of Nederland on Friday, May 16th. This portion of the Forsythe II project may burn around 125 acres. Smoke from this operation may be visible from areas along the Front Range, including Boulder, Superior, Broomfield, and surrounding areas. While smoke impacts are expected to be minimal to the public, information on how to protect your health can be found on CDPHE's Wood smoke and your health webpage.

Large broadcast burn on Tuesday in southwestern Colorado

 A large broadcast burn will be taking place today in Montezuma County, approximately 8 miles to the northeast of Dolores in southwestern Colorado.  Approximately 1200 acres are planned on being burned, so smoke will certainly be visible throughout the region including from Dolores, Mancos, and possibly Cortez.  Although the burn is fairly remote, some periodic smoke impacts will be possible for downwind locations Tuesday afternoon to the north and northeast of the fire in the Bald Hill and Taylor Mesa areas.  Heavier smoke will be possible overnight Tuesday night and into early Wednesday morning along Highway 145 near the fire, and also southward along the Dolores River.  It is unclear if smoke will reach Dolores overnight, but residents there should strongly consider closing their windows before going to sleep Tuesday night.  Additional ways to protect your health can be found at CDPHE's Wood smoke and your health webpage.  More information about this and other prescribed burns within the Dolores Ranger District can be accessed at the 2025 San Juan National Forest Prescribed Fire Program Inciweb page.

Location of Tuesday's prescribed fire to the northeast of Dolores, Colorado

Monday prescribed fires

 Two large prescribed burns are on the calendar for Monday.  The Sunnyside controlled burn is taking place in Pitkin County with smoke likely visible today in Aspen.  In Larimer County, there is another round of burning in the Red Feather Lakes area. Any impacts from smoke should be fairly minimal around these two burns, but locally heavy smoke will not be out of the question (particularly overnight Monday night and early Tuesday morning).  For information on how to protect your health, please visit CDPHE's Wood smoke and your health webpage.  You can also see where prescribed fires are scheduled this week on the CDPHE prescribed fire map.

Turkey Tracks Fire Burning in Douglas County

 The Turkey Tracks Fire is burning in Douglas County, approximately 8 miles north of Woodland Park. Crews have been working to limit fire spread. Find more information on fire activity at the Pike and San Isabel National Forest website.

The fire is burning in light fuels, and minimal smoke is expected. However, people nearby who are unusually sensitive to smoke may want to limit their physical activity today. We will update the blog if conditions change.

Pinned location (red) shows the location of the Turkey Tracks Fire, burning in Douglas County approximately 8 miles north of Woodland Park, Colorado. No major smoke impacts are expected from this fire.

Heavy smoke near Red Feather Lakes

 If you are planning on spending some time around Red Feather Lakes in Larimer County Wednesday morning, you may want to limit outdoor time for at least a few hours.  A 400 acre prescribed burn yesterday has produced some areas of heavy smoke this morning.  Fortunately, smoke levels are decreasing and improved air quality is expected later Wednesday morning and into the afternoon hours.  There will be some more burning in the area today, but at a much more limited scale.  Do keep in mind that smoke may be present again Thursday morning.  

Click here for more information on the Magic Feather Prescribed Burn 

Click here for the EPA's Fire and Smoke Map

Click here for information on how to protect yourself from wood smoke

An air quality monitor indicating heavy smoke (in dark red) to the east-southeast of a prescribed fire in the Red Feather Lakes area.  Data provided from EPA's Fire and Smoke Map

Spring Broadcast Burning

 We are entering the time of year where snow is decreasing across the state and fuels (grass, brush, etc.) are drying out, but are not dry enough (in most cases) to be a significant wildfire threat.  During this time window, conditions can become favorable for broadcast/landscape burning.  Several broadcast projects are scheduled for this week, including near Red Feather Lakes, Hudson/Keenesburg, and Alamosa.  You can stay up-to-date on the schedule of all large permitted broadcast burns at CDPHE's prescribed fire map. 

Green Mountain Prescribed Fire

June 5, 2024

Pike & San Isabel National Forests

Grass fire burning east of Colorado Springs airport

 A grass fire has been observed just east of Colorado Springs, as seen in the image below.

Red area indicates a grassfire just east of Colorado Springs. Image courtesy: https://rammb-slider.cira.colostate.edu/

Breezy winds are causing the fire to spread through light fuels, but are also helping to dissipate smoke as it is lofted away from the surface by ample atmospheric mixing. Evacuation orders are in place in this area, and currently the greatest impacts from smoke are expected to remain within the evacuation area. While significant health impacts are not expected beyond the immediate vicinity of the fire, the public is urged to avoid this area as emergency crews manage the incident and evacuations take place.

We will monitor this situation and issue updates or advisories if they are warranted, as conditions change.

Intensifying wildfires in far southeastern Colorado

 A few wildfires have developed in southeastern Colorado Monday afternoon with the very dry and windy conditions.  The most intense of these fires at the moment is located along the Baca/Las Animas County line (see image below).  Although significant health impacts are not expected at this time due to the smoke lofting into the atmosphere and away from the earth's surface, you will want to avoid the area.  This includes the stretch of State Highway 160 between Kim and Springfield.  

It's pile burning season!

 As we enter the winter months, the burning of piles becomes much more common across Colorado.  Snowstorms are a great time to effectively burn piles while also decreasing the amount of smoke that could cause public health issues.

Although there are several pile projects currently underway, one of the biggest ones is scheduled to start on Tuesday if conditions are optimal for burning.  It will be taking place near Keystone in Summit County where they could burn up to 900 piles on Tuesday, and perhaps additional piles on Wednesday.  Smoke will no doubt be visible in the area, including the nearby stretches of Interstate 70 and Highway 9, and the communities of Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Dillon and Frisco.

More information on pile burning in this part of Colorado can be found at the White River National Forest website.  You can also learn more about pile burning in Summit County with this video. Additionally, you can check the status of prescribed burns all across Colorado with CDPHE's prescribed fire map.  And finally, learn how you can help protect your health from woodsmoke at CDPHE's wood smoke and your health webpage.

Highland Lake wildfire

 A wildfire has started in Teller County in the Highland Lake area near Divide.  Most of the areas near the fire have been evacuated and smoke is not expected to travel far from the fire due to it's relatively small size and the alignment of nearby drainages, so major public health impacts from smoke are not anticipated.  However, you may see some smoke north of Highway 24 if you are travelling west out of Divide heading towards Florissant.  We will provide further updates if the fire does get more active.

The Highland Lake wildfire is located a little over one mile north of State Highway 24 to the west of Divide in Teller County.

Hazy skies and light to moderate smoke expected to continue this weekend

 The conditions that much of eastern Colorado and the Front Range has seen over the last several days is likely to persist, at least through the coming weekend and into early next week. A stubborn ridging pattern is in place over the southwestern U.S. and does not look like it wants to budge for the time being. This means that the clockwise flow at upper levels of the atmosphere will likely continue to carry smoke from fires burning in other states in the general direction of Colorado.

NAM forecasted 600 mb winds at 18 UTC (12 pm MDT) on Sunday October 13, 2024, from weathernerds.com, shows a pattern that will likely continue to move smoke from out-of-state fires into Colorado over the next several days. 

What this means for us here in Colorado is that a persistence forecast will take us through the weekend. The haze that has lingered over the last few days and the up-and-down concentrations of fine particulates seen across the eastern slope of Colorado will likely continue, keeping particle pollution in the Moderate AQI category through at least Monday.

We favor these conditions over those experienced by folks who are closer to the fires and receiving much larger amounts of smoke, however we would also welcome a shift in the pattern (or some snow!) that could bring some relief from the gunk that has loitered in our area for long enough.

Keep on taking it easy if you are sensitive to smoke, keep an eye on air quality in your area, and we will keep you informed on any changes in this situation... hopefully sooner rather than later!

Intermittent plumes of smoke moving through the Front Range Wednesday afternoon

 As we had expected, smoke that is aloft in the atmosphere and was headed our way this morning is finding its way to the surface in areas of Colorado. In this scenario, the vertical mixing of the atmosphere is both hurting and helping us.

The low-level turbulence caused by warming daytime temperatures and our abundant Colorado sunshine, and its contrast with the relatively cooler air above the surface, is helping to draw smoke downward and is resulting in increases in particle pollution measured by surface monitors. Yet it is this same motion in the atmosphere that is creating a bank of cumulus clouds along the foothills. As the clouds move east off of the higher terrain, cooling is caused by cloud interactions with their surroundings, and helps to produce localized areas of sinking air that spreads out radially once it hits the ground. These areas of breezy outflow winds are helping to limit the overall impacts of the smoke, and are expected to help disperse surface concentrations as the afternoon progresses. Additionally, the clouds help to reduce the amount of surface heating, and decrease the vigor of up-and-down drafts, potentially limiting the amount of smoke that can be drawn down to surface level.

In addition to all of this, the dense plume of smoke that is the root of the issue continues to be fairly discrete, and is moving through the region... with emphasis on the word 'moving.'

Visible satellite image from CIRA shows the presence of smoke moving through the northern portions of Colorado, with cumulus clouds moving eastward off of the high terrain at 1:40 pm MDT on Wednesday afternoon. 

The overall take-away message is that we are seeing increases in particulate levels at several monitors throughout the region, but we expect those numbers to plateau and taper off as the day progresses. So while hazy skies and notable ups and downs in smoke levels are expected and taking place, we do not currently expect these conditions to persist for extended periods of time. 

As the fires continue to burn, additional plumes of smoke will be created and the potential for repetition of this cycle tomorrow does remain. Stay tuned for additional updates as we watch all of this unfold, and we will continue to share our thoughts and expectations.

Smoke will persist in areas of Colorado, with variable impacts throughout Wednesday

Smoke from out-of-state fires will continue to move into Colorado on Wednesday, mainly affecting eastern areas of the state. On Wednesday morning, surface concentrations remain in the Moderate range for many areas, with the highest numbers found on the plains and in the northeastern corner of Colorado. However higher concentrations are found in the Nebraska panhandle, and the first light images on satellite reveal the presence of smoke moving in from the northwest. The reason that the numbers shown on surface monitors do not match the location of smoke seen on satellite is because the smoke remains aloft, and has not reached the surface yet. As daytime mixing increases, we expect that smoke to be transported downward and an increase in monitored concentrations to be seen. Along with rising levels of fine particulates, degradation of visibility is also expected, causing hazy skies throughout many areas east of the Continental Divide.

The map of fine particulate concentrations from purpleair.com shows Good to Moderate impacts from wildfire smoke in areas of the Front Range, and in eastern and northeastern Colorado.

Smoke from fires in upwind states is seen in visible satellite imagery from CIRA as it is transported southward into Colorado from Wyoming (image from 8:20 am MDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024).

Continued transport of smoke is expected throughout the day on Wednesday. While our primary area of focus for impacts from smoke is the areas on the eastern plains, similar conditions may be seen periodically along the Front Range as well. Though the surface levels may fluctuate throughout the day and affect different areas at different times, we expect Moderate conditions to be seen in widespread areas of Colorado, reaching levels that are Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups periodically.

The Air Quality Health Advisory for the eastern plains has been continued on Wednesday, and we encourage individuals who are sensitive to smoke to take health precautions to reduce exposure, and to reduce or avoid heavy exertion in all areas where smoke is present, especially areas currently under the Advisory.

As conditions continue to evolve, updates on observed impacts and future expectations will be posted.