Some smoke improvements for Sunday

In northwestern and north-central Colorado, the smoke has mostly moved out. An Air Quality Health Advisory was in effect Saturday, but will expire at 9 am today. PurpleAir sensors across the northwest have shown a dramatic reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations as of this morning. Particulate matter concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Sunday and Monday.

On the Front Range and eastern Plains, smoke is lingering this morning. But changes are on the way. Unsettled weather, shifting winds, and scattered showers will help to clear out the lingering smoke. Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to drop throughout the day on Sunday.

CDPHE does not anticipate issuing any Air Quality Health Advisories at this time. For the most up-to-date air quality information, visit CDPHE's Monitoring Website or PurpleAir.

Lingering smoke on Saturday

 Smoke began moving into northwest Colorado on Friday afternoon. Northwestern and north-central Colorado are waking up to smoky conditions this weekend. This smoke is expected to continue through Sunday morning. 

An Air Quality Health Advisory remains in effect for northwestern and north-central Colorado until Sunday morning. This advisory was issued on Friday afternoon for Moffat, Routt, Jackson, and Grand Counties. As of Saturday morning, this advisory has been updated to include three more counties: Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Summit. Moderate to heavy smoke is possible throughout the advisory area on Saturday and Sunday. 

Changes are coming on Sunday. Today, upper-level winds are coming from the northwest, where the smoke is heavy. On Sunday, these upper-level winds are expected to shift to westerly (coming from the west), where the air is cleaner. A shift to westerly winds would bring cleaner air into northwest Colorado. Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to drop throughout the day on Sunday. Until then, in the advisory area, it's a good idea to take steps to protect your health. For the latest air quality information, visit CDPHE's monitoring website or PurpleAir.

Smoke moving into northwest Colorado

 Smoke has been impacting eastern Colorado for most of this week. Today, smoke has begun moving into counties west of the Divide. We'll break it down, starting in the northwest corner of the state. 

Northwestern Colorado is experiencing the heaviest smoke. Purple Air sensors show that particulate matter concentrations began rising on Friday afternoon. This smoke is expected to linger Friday night into early Saturday morning. An Air Quality Health Advisory is in effect for Moffat, Routt, Jackson, and Grand Counties through Saturday morning.

Further south, in Eagle, Summit, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties, smoke is less intense. There will be noticeable haze along I-70 on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Purple Air Sensors show that the heaviest smoke is in northwestern Colorado.

On the Front Range, the heaviest period of smoke is behind us. Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Moderate category throughout the weekend.

Air quality is expected to improve next week, as upper-level winds shift and smoke clears out.

Wildfire smoke continues to increase

Smoke has arrived to the northeastern plains of Colorado.  Moderate to heavy smoke has been observed across the northeastern corner of the state.  Fortunately, as we stated in our last post, we don't expect this smoke to be around for an extended period of time.  A cold front later on this evening should usher in some cleaner air overnight and air quality should be improved in places like Julesburg, Sterling, Ft. Morgan, and Akron by Friday morning.  In the meantime, reducing exertion is probably a good idea for the remainder of today.  This is especially true if you suffer from heart or lung ailments.

Hazy skies and poor visibility in Akron, Colorado Thursday afternoon.  Webcam image is courtesy of Viaero Wireless Weather Cameras

Meanwhile, smoke is also increasing further west along the northern Front Range urban corridor.  Fine particle concentrations are increasing in Denver, Boulder, Longmont, Ft. Collins, Greeley, and other areas along and near Interstate 25.  Combined with typical urban pollution, both ozone and fine particulate concentrations are inching towards the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category.  Therefore, an Action Day for Multiple Pollutants has been issued for the northern Front Range. We anticipate both ozone and fine particulates to be elevated through this evening, so avoiding prolonged or heavy exertion is recommended through late tonight. By tomorrow (Friday), ozone will likely decrease somewhat with cooler air rushing in behind the cold front.  However, fine particle concentrations could remain elevated for a longer period of time.  Health impacts from prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can linger even after the air quality improves, so it may be a good idea to plan on reducing exertion through at least tomorrow afternoon.

Haze over the Denver skyline from the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division web camera

We are also closely monitoring other parts of Colorado for increasing wildfire smoke.  East-central and southeastern parts of the state, including Burlington, Lamar, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo could see an increase in particle pollution overnight tonight and continue into the Friday morning commute.  The same can be said for northwestern parts of the state with the possibility for a larger smoke intrusion tomorrow afternoon in places like Steamboat Springs and Granby. More information to follow as this situation continues to evolve.

More smoke arriving later this week

 Many large wildfires are burning in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Smoke from these fires could begin to impact northeastern Colorado by Thursday afternoon.

A heavy blanket of smoke is visible over western Canada and the northwestern United States. This smoke could move into Colorado by Thursday afternoon. Image courtesy of CIRA-RAMMB.

In the Pacific Northwest, particulate matter is in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy Range today. Some smoke has made its way into Colorado, but particulate matter is in the Good to Moderate range today. Tomorrow, particulate matter could increase as the smoke to our north begins to push south.

By Thursday afternoon, the wind will begin to increase. Northerly winds will push smoke into northeastern Colorado. Smoke will hit Fort Collins, Greeley, Fort Morgan, Sterling, and Julesburg first. Then, it will continue to move south, hitting Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs. Particulate Matter concentrations will increase as the smoke moves in. If you are sensitive to smoke, take steps to protect your health on Thursday.

Visit the Idaho Smoke Blog or the Washington Smoke Blog for more information on smoke in the Pacific Northwest.

CDPHE is monitoring the situation and will issue an Air Quality Health Advisory if necessary.

Smoke heading towards Colorado

The fires in western Colorado have calmed down, but more smoke may be in the picture today.

Activity on the Derby Fire and Stoner Mesa Fire has slowed significantly. We do not expect heavy smoke from either of these fires today.

However, multiple fires are burning in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. This smoke may move into Colorado by Tuesday afternoon. 

On visible satellite imagery, smoke (gray) is visible over the Pacific Northwest and Canada. This smoke could move into Colorado on Tuesday afternoon.

How much smoke are we talking? In eastern Colorado, there may be a noticeable haze this afternoon. Particulate Matter is expected to reach the Moderate level in locations along the Front Range and northeastern plains, including Fort Collins, Greeley, Sterling, Julesburg, Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs. If you are particularly sensitive to smoke, consider taking it easy today. 

Smoke may also impact areas west of the Continental Divide. Locations in north-central Colorado, including Steamboat Springs, may see haze and increased particulate matter concentrations this afternoon.

The current weather pattern is expected to continue for the rest of this week. Continued northerly surface winds could bring more smoke into Colorado later this week. We will provide updates as necessary.

Currently, no Air Quality Health Advisories are in effect. CDPHE is monitoring the situation and will issue an advisory if conditions worsen.

Increasing wet weather

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected across large portions of western Colorado on Sunday, possibly including the Stoner Mesa fire and the Derby fire sites.   Air quality health advisories will remain in effect for areas close to those two fires and smoke levels remain elevated Sunday morning.  However we are cautiously optimistic that there will be a general improvement in air quality over the next 24 hours due to less fire activity from cloud cover, and perhaps wetting rains from the shower and thunderstorm activity.

Geocolor satellite image of widespread cloud cover over western Colorado Sunday morning.  Image courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University

No major changes for the time being

 Air quality conditions Saturday morning look very similar to what they were 24 hours ago (see yesterday's blog post below).  Heavy smoke is mainly found in close vicinity to the Stoner Mesa fire in southwestern Colorado and the Derby fire in central Colorado.  Air quality health advisories will continue for these areas through at least Sunday morning.

There will be a scattering of showers and thunderstorms near the two fires Saturday afternoon, but wetting rains appear more likely on Sunday. We are hopeful this will continue the gradual improvement in air quality as we head into the early part of the workweek.

Relief on the way?

 Another day of localized heavy smoke near the Stoner Mesa fire and the Derby fire. Much like yesterday, the heaviest smoke will likely remain in close vicinity to the fires.  For Stoner Mesa, parts of western Eagle and eastern Garfield Counties remain in the advisory area. The Sweetwater Lake area along with Colorado River Road between Dotsero and Burns will receive heavy smoke during the overnight and early mornings, with improving air quality during the afternoons.  Yesterday afternoon we did see some downwind impacts in places like Basalt and Aspen.  That possibility exists again today, but with showers and thunderstorms possible near the fire there could be gusty, erratic winds that could send smoke in any direction. Regardless, we don't anticipate smoke to travel very far from the fire site today.

At the Stoner Mesa fire, there has been very heavy smoke along Highway 145 between Dolores and Rico.  The Stoner area has been especially hard hit, so if you are camping or reside in this area please take action to protect your health.  You can even create a clean air space in your RV by constructing a DIY air cleaner.

The forecast appears encouraging for western Colorado over the next few days as a surge of monsoonal moisture should help decrease fire activity and smoke production.  In the meantime, we'll continue to monitor the smoke and issue advisories if necessary. 

Smoky conditions will continue Thursday for parts of central and southwestern Colorado

 The Derby fire is located in central Colorado approximately 13 miles north of Dotsero and remains quite active Thursday morning. CDPHE issued an air quality health advisory yesterday for four counties due to smoke moving to the south and east of the fire. One concern was that smoke would be trapped within the narrow mountain valleys in this area, but fortunately many parts of the advisory area only have light to moderate smoke Thursday morning.  Therefore, the advisory for today will be smaller with the removal of Summit, Lake, and Pitkin Counties.  Eastern parts of Eagle County also look OK, but the advisory today will continue for western Eagle County with the addition of a small part of eastern Garfield County. Below is a map with areas most likely to receive periods of heavy smoke through Friday morning.

The area of concern for heavy smoke Thursday morning through Friday morning near the Derby fire.

 Heavy morning smoke can be expected in the vicinity of Sweetwater Lake in eastern Garfield County, along with locations on Colorado River Road between Dotsero and Burns. Meanwhile, the stretch of Interstate 70 between Dotsero and Eagle (including Gypsum) are also included in today's advisory.

A new data point has revealed that heavy smoke is still impacting parts of southeastern Dolores and northeastern Montezuma Counties in southwestern Colorado from the Stoner Mesa fire.  Campgrounds and residences along Highway 145 between Dolores and Rico, especially in the Stoner area, will experience heavy smoke Thursday morning with likely some improvement during the afternoon hours.  Smoke will likely return again to this area late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

The area of concern for heavy smoke Thursday morning through Friday morning near the Stoner Mesa fire.

Looking ahead, there is some promising news in the long-range forecast for the Western Slope.  An increase in monsoonal moisture is anticipated starting on Friday and continuing into the weekend.  This should help to decrease fire activity and smoke production somewhat, but we will also need to monitor for potential new fire starts from lightning strikes.

Air Quality Advisory issued downwind of the Derby wildfire

 The Derby fire has grown significantly over the past 24 hours and is producing very large amounts of smoke Wednesday afternoon.  The transport winds over the fire are not particularly strong, but they are pushing smoke to the south and east.  This has resulted in increased fine particulate (PM2.5) concentrations and worsening air quality across large swaths of Eagle, Summit, Pitkin, and Lake Counties.  An Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke has been issued for this area through at least 9am Thursday morning.   

The numerous communities along that long stretch of Interstate 70 between Silverthorne and Dotsero will be impacted by reduced visibility and periods of moderate to heavy smoke. Also expect increasing smoke Wednesday evening in places like Aspen and Leadville.  So please drive safely in areas where visibility is obscured. And as always, we remind you to please take action to protect your health. The valleys in this part of Colorado are notorious for trapping smoke, so this could very well be an issue through the Thursday morning commute.

GeoColor image of the Derby fire and heavy smoke located in northwestern Eagle County. Image courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University

Derby Fire burning in Eagle County

A new fire has sparked in northern Eagle County- the Derby Fire. 

Smoke from this fire is visible on satellite and is spreading south and east. Smoke may be visible Wednesday morning along the I-70 corridor, including Dotsero, Gypsum, Eagle, and Edwards. Throughout the day, there may be brief periods of moderate smoke. Particulate matter concentrations may begin to increase Wednesday afternoon, but will likely remain in the Moderate category.

No major public health impacts are expected at this time, and there is no Air Quality Health Advisory in effect. CDPHE is monitoring the situation and will issue an advisory if conditions change. Find the latest air quality information on PurpleAir or on CDPHE's monitoring website.

View of the Derby Fire on August 18. Image courtesy of InciWeb.

The Lee Fire, Stoner Mesa Fire, and Turner Gulch Fire are still burning in western Colorado. Locations near these fires may see periods of moderate smoke today. But unlike last week, widespread, heavy smoke is not expected from these fires today.

Areas of morning smoke near the fires on Sunday

 Air quality monitoring and satellite imagery reveal some smoke located in close vicinity to West Slope wildfires Sunday morning.  Smoke has drained overnight from the Stoner Mesa fire extending southwestward into Montezuma County with smoke being reported in Dolores, Cortez and Towaoc.  Fortunately, this smoke should decrease as progress through the morning and no advisory is necessary at this time.  If you do want to spend time outdoors in this part of Colorado, waiting until this afternoon would probably be the best choice for your personal health. The same holds true for those located close to the Crosho fire or Lee fire located in Rio Blanco County in northwestern Colorado.

The weather is steadily drying out across western Colorado so the wildfires may start getting active again Sunday afternoon.  We will keep you posted if any air quality advisories are necessary.

A hazy early morning at Cortez Municipal Airport.  Image courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration

Air quality improves for Saturday

Today is the day- finally, no air quality health advisories are in effect!

The Lee Fire, Crosho Fire, and Stoner Mesa Fire are still burning. On Friday, western Colorado experienced rain and high relative humidity. This limited the fires' growth and resulted in less smoke from these fires. Today, Coloradans are waking up to cleaner air. 

We do not expect Particulate Matter concentrations to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) category today. There still may be a noticeable haze today. In areas near the fires, there may be periods of moderate smoke. If you are very sensitive to smoke, you can take steps to protect your health. But know that today will be an improvement from earlier this week.

Particulate matter concentrations are in the Good to Moderate range statewide.

PurpleAir Sensors are showing Good to Moderate air quality Saturday morning. Image courtesy of PurpleAir.

CDPHE is still monitoring these fires and will issue advisories as needed. 

Significant improvement in air quality for many areas

 Widespread cloud cover, higher relative humidity, and even a few showers and thunderstorms resulted in a decrease in fire activity yesterday on the Western Slope.  The result is lower smoke levels for most of Colorado Friday morning.  More good news -- moisture continues to surge into western Colorado.  This should moderate fire activity again for today and limit smoke production.

Friday morning satellite image of moisture surging into the Four Corners area. Image courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University

With less fire activity expected today, smoke impacts should be more localized.  We have decreased the size of both air quality health advisories in western Colorado.  Heavier smoke impacts should remain in close vicinity to the Lee fire, Crosho fire, and Stoner Mesa fire.  For the Lee and Crosho fires, expect heavier smoke to remain in rural areas of Rio Blanco county close to the fires, along with southern Routt County in the Phippsburg area.  This smoke will likely be heaviest during the early morning hours, so outdoor plans may be more appropriate during the afternoons.  It is a similar story on the Stoner Mesa fire where unhealthier smoke levels will mainly be confined to eastern Dolores and northern Montezuma Counties, including the communities of Rico and Dolores.

Looking ahead, the weather will likely gradually dry out again over the course of the weekend, so if you are in an area with improved air quality today you may want to take advantage of it.

Wildfire smoke remains in the forecast for many

 Most of Colorado is experiencing at least moderate levels of smoke Thursday morning.  The heaviest smoke can be found in close vicinity to wildfires in western parts of the state, while the Colorado River Valley between Gypsum and Vail is also seeing highly elevated levels of fine particulate matter.

Wildfire smoke producing moderate (yellow) to unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) levels of fine particulate matter Thursday morning.  Map and data courtesy of the EPA's Fire and Smoke Map

Unfortunately Red Flag Warnings blanket the western half of Colorado on Thursday.  The primary threat will be dry thunderstorms which could initiate new fires and perhaps enhance current fires due to gusty winds.  CDPHE meteorologists will be closely monitoring for new wildfire starts throughout the day.

Counties shaded in pink are under a Red Flag Warning on Thursday.  Image courtesy of the National Weather Service GIS Viewer

The Air Quality Health Advisories that were in effect yesterday will be extended through at least Friday morning, but there will be some changes.  We do anticipate the Lee fire and the Crosho fire to remain active today and send smoke downwind to the northeast.  This will increase the potential for smoke in places like Steamboat Springs and Walden Thursday afternoon.  The highest smoke impacts will remain for areas along and north of Interstate 70 in northwestern and north-central Colorado.  Meanwhile, we do anticipate some gradual improvement for areas a bit further to the south and west, including Grand Junction, Delta, Montrose and Gunnison.  Those areas have been removed from today's advisory, but locals should still take it a little slower than usual as the recent exposure to smoke could have some lingering health impacts.

Meanwhile in southwestern Colorado, the Stoner Mesa fire continues to burn in eastern Dolores County.  This area is also under a Red Flag Warning and could see some growth today, especially if it is impacted by gusty outflow winds from dry thunderstorms.  One small piece of good news is that the transport winds are not particularly strong today in southwestern Colorado, so we are not expecting smoke to move very far away from the fire.  Therefore, air quality should improve somewhat in places like Telluride, Ouray and Silverton.  The flip side is that we are seeing increasing amounts of drainage smoke.  This is the smoke that flows downhill during the early morning hours and generally is at its worst right around the morning rush hour. Cortez and Durango have both seen an uptick in smoke over the past 24 hours.  Though these areas should see some improvement Thursday afternoon once the atmosphere heats up, smoke could very well return late Thursday night into early Friday morning.

Surface smoke at Cortez Municipal Airport Thursday morning. Image courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration

Below is a map of Colorado showing active Air Quality Health Advisories.  With the rapidly changing atmospheric and wildfire conditions, we urge you to remain up-to-date on current advisories by visiting our website and signing up for email alerts.

Current Air Quality Health Advisories, by county.  Map from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Air Pollution Control Division website

Increased fire activity and smoke possible today for parts of Colorado

 Unfortunately, it appears that the hot, dry, and increasingly windy weather could increase fire activity on Wednesday.  The biggest area of concern will be the large wildfires burning in Rio Blanco County.  These include the Lee fire and the Crosho fire.  A Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for this area, which could lead to explosive wildfire growth and enormous amounts of smoke.  We will be closely watching areas downwind (to the east) of these fires where smoke could quickly increase Wednesday afternoon and evening.  Several counties to the east of the fires have been added to the air quality health advisory currently in effect for this area.  Heads up today along Interstate 70 in Vail and Breckenridge, along with areas to the north including Kremmling, Fraser, and Granby.

Wednesday morning smoke spreading eastward from wildfires in Rio Blanco County. Image courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University 

Further south, areas of heavy smoke have been observed Wednesday morning in and around Grand Junction, Montrose, Delta, and Gunnison.  Although we are expecting gradually improving air quality conditions in this area Wednesday afternoon, the Turner Gulch fire in Mesa County is still producing smoke. Therefore, this area will remain within the air quality health advisory for the time being.

Even further south in southwestern Colorado, the Stoner Mesa fire remains active.  The weather conditions at this fire on Wednesday will not be quite as dry or windy as the fires to the north, which is good news.  However, heavy smoke will continue to be an issue for areas in close vicinity to the fire such as the communities of Rico and Dolores.  Some downwind impacts will also remain possible Wednesday afternoon and evening in Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, and Lake City, with the air quality health advisory remaining in effect for this area through at least Thursday morning.

Stoner Mesa fire on August 12, 2025.  Image courtesy of InciWeb

Smoke impacts continue on Tuesday, expected to be more localized

Several wildfires will continue to produce smoke on Tuesday, affecting air quality conditions for many areas of western Colorado. Wildfires in Rio Blanco and Mesa Counties will create impacts in northwestern and central Colorado, and fires in Dolores and Archuleta Counties will influence areas in southwestern portions of the state. The main difference in our expectations for today (versus yesterday) is that transport winds look to be lighter and less organized. This means that a lot of the smoke that is produced will remain in areas close to the fires. Air Quality Health Advisories for Wildfire Smoke will remain in place into Wednesday morning covering several counties, however please note that the footprint has changed somewhat.

Map of Colorado showing counties that are under advisories for smoke on Tuesday and Wednesday (shaded in grey). Map from colorado.gov/airquality .

One notable difference on Tuesday is the presence of smoke in the Grand Valley, including Grand Junction. The amount of smoke seen in this area has prompted the addition of Mesa County to the advisory area covered by the Lee fire and the Turner Gulch fire. Although smoke will remain within the valley through the morning hours, a gradual decrease has already been seen on Tuesday morning. This trend is expected to continue as atmospheric mixing increases. Improvement of conditions is expected in Grand Junction throughout the day on Tuesday.

A similar story is expected to unfold in southwestern Colorado near the Stoner Mesa fire in Dolores County. Smoke impacts will remain more localized than on Monday, with surface concentrations decreasing throughout the day in many areas. Drainage winds will still draw smoke toward lower terrain overnight, affecting eastern Dolores and northern Montezuma Counties.

We continue to watch all active incidents and will continue with updates here as things develop.

Smoke in many areas of western Colorado, with varying impacts and expectations

Wildfires and smoke will continue to be a part of many peoples' lives and conversations as we start the week, and rightfully so. There is much to address, so we will work from north to south, attempting to cover all aspects.

The largest fire(s) in Colorado, producing some of the greatest impacts include the Lee and Elk fires in Rio Blanco County. Combined, these fires cover around 130,000 acres and have limited containment as of Monday. Winds will transport smoke to areas to the south and southeast of these fires, creating smoke impacts in neighboring counties. Information on the extent of the greatest impacts can be found in the Air Quality Health Advisory for these fires.

Satellite image of heat detection of wildfires showing the location of fires throughout western Colorado. Image courtesy CIRA/CSU.

The second area of fire activity is in relation to the Turner Gulch fire in southern Mesa County. This fire continues to be active in interior portions of the fires' footprint, yet has not shown widespread smoke impacts for several days. Areas in the immediate vicinity of the fire will continue to see some smoke, and some areas may have moderate to heavy impacts at times. However from the information that is available to us including monitoring and coordination with fire managers, the severity and period of impacts from smoke do not support an Air quality Health Advisory for this fire at this time.

The third fire that is causing air quality impacts is the Stoner Mesa fire in eastern Dolores County. Smoke from this fire has largely been localized to areas near the fire, however as fire intensity and smoke production grows on Monday, additional areas may see smoke from this fire. Areas such as Cortez and Durango have seen intermittent periods of moderate to heavy smoke, however similar to  the Turner Gulch fire, the duration and severity of these episodes have not justified inclusion in advisories so far. As of this writing (Monday) the Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke related to this fire only coverers eastern Dolores County; though this may change with updated information.

The heat from all of these fires can be seen in the satellite image above, which shows infrared energy emitting from these incidents. What is not seen in the satellite image (or is very hard to discern) is the locations of two fires that are affecting areas of Archuleta County.

The Middle Mesa fire is in New Mexico, just south of the Colorado border, and the Oak fire is in Archuleta County to the northwest of Pagosa Springs. Both of these fires are certainly contributing to the presence of smoke in this region. However, as with other areas already motioned, the severity of impacts have not yet risen to levels that trigger an advisory.

CDPHE issues advisories when the AQI for particulate matter is expected to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups level over a 24 hour period. We are monitoring conditions and will issue more advisories as needed.

With all of this said, keeping the public informed of our expectations, and providing information so that you can make decisions on how best to protect your health is our ultimate goal. We will continue to monitor all of these situations as they evolve, and post additional updates as information becomes available.

Sunday smoke update

 The Lee Fire and Elk Fire are still burning in Rio Blanco County. An Air Quality Health Advisory remains in effect for a large area of central Colorado.

The Stoner Mesa Fire is still burning in Dolores County. An Air Quality Health Advisory is also in effect for eastern Dolores County today.

The advisory areas have slightly changed today. In central Colorado, Grand County has been added to the advisory area. In southwest Colorado, the advisory area only includes eastern Dolores County. Periods of moderate to heavy smoke are possible throughout both advisory areas on Sunday and Monday.

If you are sensitive to wildfire smoke, it's a good idea to take steps to protect your health today.