Front Range Action Day for Particulates September 26-27, 2020

Smoke from the #CameronPeakFire is blowing into the Foothills and causing a strong smoke smell to be present (and our area fire departments to be investigating many smoke checks). Please call in only if you see a smoke plume or active flames, not just hazy smoke or smoke smell.

CDPHE Air Pollution @cdpheapcd 1h
Winds out of the north have pushed wildfire smoke further south along the Front Range, and into the Denver Metro area. An Action Day for Particulates has been issued until at least 4 pm on Sunday.
www.colorado.gov/airquality/advisory.aspx

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an ACTION DAY ALERT at 4PM on Saturday, September 26, 2020 for the Front Range Urban Corridor from Douglas County north to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver-Boulder area, Fort Collins and Greeley.

Heavy smoke from numerous wildfires will impact much of the Front Range region Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Improvement is expected during the day tomorrow as the wind shifts and activity decreases on the local wildfires.

This Particulates Action Day Alert will remain in effect until at least 4 p.m. Sunday, September 27, 2020.

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

At 7PM (MST), Saturday, 9/26/2020 the highest AQI value was 96 for Particulate less than 2.5 micrometers which indicates Moderate air quality. Respiratory symptoms possible in unusually sensitive individuals, possible aggravation of heart or lung disease in people with cardiopulmonary disease and older adults. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Regional Air Quality Council's Summer 2020 Ozone Action Day Alert Program has concluded. The winter High Pollution Advisory Program begins on November 1. Air Quality Action Days or advisories for ozone for other pollutants, however, will be issued as needed at any time during the year and reported on this web page.

The Air Pollution Control Division's Winter 2020/2021 High Pollution Advisory Program will begin November 1. Thank you for your interest in and support for efforts to improve air quality for the citizens of the Denver- metro area.

Front Range Air Quality Forecast & Colorado Smoke Outlook

FRONT RANGE AIR QUALITY FORECAST:
Saturday, September 26, 2020, 2:20 PM MDT

Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Saturday and in the Good category on Sunday. For health recommendations, please refer to Fine Particulate Matter below.

Fine Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range on Saturday and Sunday. Wildfire smoke from several fires in northern Colorado has increased fine particulate concentrations in the northern Front Range region, including the Denver Metro area, Ft. Collins, and Greeley. In these areas people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion on Saturday and Sunday. Elsewhere throughout the Front Range, Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are expected, and unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion on Saturday and Sunday. Good atmospheric mixing is expected to improve conditions during daytime hours, however elevated concentrations may return during overnight and early morning hours. A wind shift overnight Saturday night will likely move higher concentrations of smoke southward along the Front Range during overnight and early morning hours. During this time high-Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are possible throughout the Front Range region. These higher concentrations are expected to subside by midday on Sunday.

Carbon Monoxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Saturday and Sunday.

Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Saturday and Sunday.

Visibility on Sunday is expected to be Poor.

COLORADO SMOKE OUTLOOK:
Saturday, September 26, 2020, 4:10 PM MDT

Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke

Issued for portions of northern Colorado
Issued at 3:00 PM MDT, Saturday, September 26, 2020

Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Affected Area: Routt, Jackson, Larimer, Weld, Logan, and Sedgwick counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Steamboat Springs, Clark, Walden, Cowdrey, Red Feather Lakes, Rustic, Wellington, Fort Collins, Greeley, Sterling, and Julesburg.

Advisory in Effect: 3:00 PM MDT, Saturday, September 26, 2020 to 9:00 AM MDT, Sunday, September 27, 2020.

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: Increased fire activity at the Middle Fork, Mullen, and Cameron Peak wildfires will result in periods of moderate to heavy smoke at times across the advisory area. Winds near these fires will come from the west throughout the day on Saturday and overnight Saturday night, transporting smoke to areas to the east of the fires’ locations. The heaviest smoke is expected for locations in areas near the fires at lower elevations, particularly during overnight and early morning hours. However, all areas downwind of these fires may be impacted by periods of moderate to heavy smoke on Saturday and Sunday.

Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke

Issued for southern Grand County
Issued at 4:00 PM MDT, Saturday, September 26, 2020

Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Affected Area: southern Grand County. Locations include, but are not limited to Tabernash, Fraser, Winter Park, Parshall and Kremmling.

Advisory in Effect: 4:00 PM MDT, Saturday, September 26, 2020 to 9:00 AM MDT, Sunday, September 27, 2020.

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 moderate to heavy smoke have been observed across portions of Grand County due to the Williams Fork wildfire. Winds near the fire will come from the west throughout the day on Saturday and overnight Saturday night, transporting smoke to areas to the east of the fires location. Winds may be breezy to strong at times on Saturday, increasing fire behavior and smoke production. The greatest impacts from smoke from this fire are expected to remain in mainly rural areas of southern Grand County near Highway 40 to the south of Winter Park, and in lower terrain along the Williams Fork drainage, including Parshall.

The 100 acre Alkali Creek wildfire is located in central Eagle County, approximately three miles north of Wolcott. Winds near the fire will come from the west throughout the day on Saturday and overnight Saturday night, transporting smoke to areas to the east of the fires’ locations. Winds may be breezy to strong at times on Saturday, potentially increasing fire behavior and smoke production. The greatest impacts from smoke from this fire are expected to remain in mainly rural areas of northern Eagle County, to the north of I-70.

Wildfire smoke from both in-state and out-of-state wildfire will continue to occasionally move through areas of Colorado not included in the above advisories on Saturday, especially in northern and central parts of the state. Hazy skies and mainly light to moderate concentrations of fine particulates are anticipated at this time. Although no major health impacts are expected, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion on Saturday in northern and central parts of Colorado.

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 below.

Public health recommendations for areas affected by smoke:
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.

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)


hwp-viz.gsd.esrl.noaa.gov/smoke/index.html#


fire.airnow.gov/