Air Quality Health Advisory has been expanded

 

An Aerosol Optical Depth image reveals heavy smoke (red shading) in the atmosphere over large sections of Colorado

Wildfire smoke from multiple fires across the western United States is having big air quality impacts in Colorado. The Air Quality Health Advisory that was issued Monday morning for several counties has been expanded. In addition to the communities we mentioned in the last blog post below, places like Rifle, Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge, Fairplay, Canon City, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo will also be impacted by periods of moderate to heavy smoke. Please take action to protect your health from wildfire smoke.

The northern Front Range region will not be spared. A cold front is pushing towards northeastern Colorado. That cold front will likely bring smoke with it from Wyoming and western Nebraska. Be prepared for smoke to increase again tonight in Greeley, Ft. Collins and southward into the Denver metro area. Along with increased particle pollution, the smoke could also enhance ozone across the northern Front Range during the afternoons and evenings.

Heavier smoke (orange and red dots) will move southward into Colorado Monday night with a cold front. Map courtesy of the EPA's Fire and Smoke Map

The upper level winds will likely continue to transport smoke in the direction of Colorado over the next few days, so please remain alert to rapidly changing air quality conditions in your area.