Additional Coverage:
Residents across numerous Colorado counties are being urged to stay indoors amid worsening air quality caused by smoke from wildfires burning in neighboring Utah and Nevada. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has reported that a smoky haze is drifting over the state’s mountain regions, with smaller local fires, such as the Dry Creek fire in Garfield County, potentially adding to the pollution.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an Air Quality Health Advisory on Thursday for more than a dozen Colorado counties, warning that smoke from these distant fires is expected to degrade air quality through at least Friday morning. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activities when smoke is moderate to heavy and to consider temporary relocation if indoor air becomes hazardous. Visibility under five miles due to smoke is a key indicator that air quality has reached unhealthy levels.
Counties currently under the advisory include Moffat, Routt, Grand, Eagle, Summit, Garfield, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, and many others across the region. Additional communities such as Steamboat Springs, Vail, Aspen, and Grand Junction may also experience smoke impacts.
The CDPHE notes that fluctuating weather conditions, including showers and thunderstorms, are affecting smoke patterns, which could cause rapid changes in smoke concentration throughout the advisory period.
This situation follows a severe drought and historically low snowpack in the Colorado Rockies, factors that have heightened wildfire risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that wildfire smoke contains harmful gases and fine particles that can cause respiratory issues, chest pain, and asthma attacks, particularly among vulnerable populations including those with heart or lung conditions, children, and the elderly.
Residents can monitor local air quality conditions through the CDPHE’s daily reports and are encouraged to take precautions to protect their health while smoke levels remain elevated.