BOULDER, Colo. — Smoke from out-of-state fires has moved into Colorado’s Front Range this weekend, leading to poor air quality and a spike in 911 calls.
On Saturday, people walking through Chautauqua Park in Boulder noticed the lack of clear skies.
“It’s definitely hazier today than it was last week. Yesterday was even worse than today,” said one woman, hiking with her husband.
Multiple sheriff’s offices in Colorado took to social media asking people to refrain from calling 911 to report haze in the sky.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) posted a video to X urging people to call 911 only if they see smoke plumes or flames.
“The reason it becomes a problem, though, is when people call 911 that they just seen haze in the air, and they’re not specific about a fire. We don’t have a general place to send fire apparatus out to,” said Vinnie Montez, the public information officer for BCSO.
Later, Jefferson County and Clear Creek County noted “a general haze and smell of smoke in the air.”