Smoke further east on Wednesday

On Wednesday, more Coloradans will be breathing in smoke. Let's break it down from north to south.

The Lee Fire and the Elk Fire are burning in Rio Blanco County. Smoke from these fires has moved east, reaching as far as the Northern Front Range. Moderate to heavy smoke is expected from Rio Blanco County and eastward to Weld County. An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect. 

Satellite image of Colorado shows areas of smoke (gray, circled in red.) Image courtesy of RAMMB CIRA Slider.

The Turner Gulch Fire is still producing smoke, but not enough to trigger an advisory. Purple Air sensors in southern Mesa County are showing moderate levels of smoke. We will issue an advisory if conditions worsen. 

The Stoner Mesa Fire in Dolores County is producing moderate to heavy smoke. An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect for eastern Dolores County today. On Wednesday, some smoke has moved south into La Plata County, particularly Durango. However, smoke isn't heavy enough to trigger an advisory. If smoke becomes heavier, we will expand the advisory area to include neighboring counties.

In addition to all of this activity within Colorado, several fires are still burning in other upwind states, and the transport of smoke into Colorado may also contribute to the ambient smoky conditions across large areas of Colorado.

If you are sensitive to smoke, it's a good idea to take steps to protect your health. Visit CDPHE's monitoring website or PurpleAir for the most up-to-date information on air quality conditions.