Sunday July 22: Smoke in the Area from Outside-of-District Fires

Both Evergreen Fire and Inter-Canyon Fire are advising that the strong smoke smell and haze is coming from out-of-district fires blowing into the area.

From Mary Nicosia Kay posted on our Facebook Page
Smoke at mt Evans and Rosalie


From the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:
Front Range
No Ozone Action Day Alert in Effect (until 4 p.m. 07/22/2018)

This is the Front Range Air Pollution Forecast effective 4PM on Saturday, July 21, 2018:

No Advisories for Ozone or any other pollutant are in effect until at least 4 p.m. Sunday, July 22, 2018 for the Front Range Urban Corridor from El Paso County north to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver-Boulder area, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Greeley.

Afternoon thunderstorms will help to limit ground-level ozone concentrations on Sunday.

Should atmospheric conditions suggest increased ground-level ozone concentrations, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Regional Air Quality Council will issue an ozone advisory. In addition, if conditions warrant, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will issue advisories for other pollutants. Check this website ( colorado.gov/airquality/advisory.aspx ) often for a report on current air quality conditions and to learn if an ozone action day alert is in effect.

For statewide conditions, forecasts and advisories, visit:
www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.

Outlook: Areas of smoke from the Lake Christine Fire are impacting portions of the Roaring Fork Valley Sunday morning, particularly in and near Basalt and El Jebel. This smoke will gradually decrease Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon, smoke will generally move to the east and southeast of the fire. This will mainly impact the White River National Forest, but occasional periods of light to moderate smoke could move to locations further southeast including Snowmass and Aspen. Additionally, thunderstorms are possible on Sunday afternoon and are capable of producing gusty, erratic winds that can send smoke in any direction. The winds will turn light Sunday night and smoke will again drain towards the Roaring Fork Valley. This could produce periods of moderate to heavy smoke by Sunday morning in Basalt and El Jebel.

The 12 acre Rampart wildfire is located in El Paso County, approximately 3 miles northeast of Woodland Park. Smoke from this fire may be visible from locations including, but not limited to, Woodland Park, Manitou Springs, Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs, and the surrounding areas. Hazy skies and light to moderate smoke may be present in these areas. Overnight, smoke will drain towards areas directly below the fire, and may bring periods of light to moderate smoke to Woodland Park. Currently, no significant public health impacts are expected.

The 4,900 acre Indian Valley wildfire is located in south-central Moffat and north-central Rio Blanco Counties, spanning the county line, approximately 18 miles northwest of Meeker. Winds at the fire on Sunday will be light and variable during the morning hours, shifting to come from the north or northwest on Sunday afternoon and evening. This will transport smoke to the east or southeast in the afternoon and evening hours. Additionally, thunderstorms are possible on Sunday, and are capable of producing gusty, erratic winds that can send smoke in any direction. The winds will turn light, late Sunday night and smoke will drain towards areas directly below the fire. Smoke from this fire will be visible from Highway 40 in the area of Craig, and may be seen from Meeker, Rangely, and the surrounding areas; however much of the smoke from this fire is expected to remain in mainly rural portions of Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. No public health impacts are currently expected.


Light to moderate smoke is also possible near prescribed fires and small wildfires around the state.

What if there is a wildfire or smoke in your area?
The focus of the Colorado Smoke Outlook is on large fires (e.g., greater than 100 acres in size). Nevertheless, smoke from smaller fires, prescribed fires, and/or smoke from new fires not yet known to CDPHE air quality meteorologists may cause locally heavy smoke. If there is smoke in your neighborhood, see the public health recommendations above.

WHAT IS AN ACTION DAY?: An Action Day for fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone or other pollutants indicates that either current air quality is unhealthy or conditions are expected to worsen later in the day or on the next day. Action Days for air pollutants generally indicate that air quality will be in either the Unhealthy or Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups categories according to the Air Quality Index. Action Days always convey overarching public health recommendations, and, according to season, trigger a variety of mandatory and voluntary pollution prevention measures. For example, during the summer open burning is prohibited when an Action Day for ozone and/or fine particulates is in effect. During the winter, residential burning restrictions are in effect when an Action Day for Visibility is in effect.

For a detailed description of both the AIR QUALITY INDEX and the VISIBILITY STANDARD INDEX please visit www.colorado.gov/airquality/brochure.aspx

COLORADO OPEN BURN FORECAST: For those with permits for open burning, that is the burning of waste materials or vegetation outside, check the following webpage to find out if open burning is allowed today. Keep in mind that open burning is prohibited when an Action Day is in effect:
www.colorado.gov/airquality/burn_forecast.aspx

FOR CURRENT FRONT RANGE ACTION DAYS/ADVISORIES:
www.colorado.gov/airquality/advisory.aspx

FOR CURRENT AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS STATEWIDE:
www.colorado.gov/airquality/air_quality.aspx

SOCIAL MEDIA:
www.facebook.com/cdphe.apcd
twitter.com/cdpheapcd

AIR QUALITY NOTIFICATIONS:
www.colorado.gov/airquality/request_alerts.aspx (CDPHE automated e-mail alerts)
www.enviroflash.info/signup.cfm (CDPHE forecasts via automated e-mails from the EPA)