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.