Red Flag Warning in effect October 16-17, 2020; Air Quality Alert

My Mountain Town Weather: URGENT
Fire Weather Warning...

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning, (red area on map above), from Noon Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Low relative humidity, warm temperatures and gusty wind over the foothills will combine for fire weather conditions. Somewhat cooler temperatures and less wind on Sunday should help ease the wildfire concerns.

Red Flag Warning

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
446 AM MDT Fri Oct 16 2020

COZ211>218-161900-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0035.201016T1800Z-201018T0000Z/
Jackson County Below 9000 Feet-
South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-
Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet-
Central and Southeast Park County-
Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet-
Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet-
West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet-
South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet-
446 AM MDT Fri Oct 16 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, AND 218...

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zones 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217 and 218.

* Timing...Noon Friday until 6 pm MDT Saturday evening

* Winds...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. Strongest winds above 10 thousand feet and east slopes of the Front Range on Saturday.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 13 percent.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
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Air Quality Alert

COC013-123-001-031-059-035-005-014-069-162200-
Boulder-Weld-Adams-Denver-Jefferson-Douglas-Arapahoe-Broomfield-Larimer-
710 AM MDT Fri Oct 16 2020

...ACTION DAY FOR PARTICULATES FROM 400 PM THURSDAY UNTIL 400 PM FRIDAY...

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued the following...

WHAT...Action Day for Particulates.

WHERE...Douglas, Jefferson, Denver, western Arapahoe, western Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties

WHEN...400 PM Thursday October 15 to 400 PM Friday October 16

IMPACTS...Action Day for Particulates is now in effect for the seven-county Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. Requests to limit driving of non- ZEV vehicles (i.e., gas or diesel) are now in effect until at least 4 PM Friday, October 16, 2020. Areas of moderate to heavy smoke can be expected Friday morning for foothill locations in Boulder and Larimer County. This smoke will gradually dissipate late Friday morning. However, as fire activity increases Friday afternoon smoke will again increase at the local wildfires and be transported towards the I-25 corridor. Periods of moderate to heavy smoke from the Cameron Peak wildfire can be expected in Larimer County, while occasional moderate to heavy smoke from the East Troublesome wildfire could impact sections of Boulder County, especially foothill locations, and perhaps parts of the Denver metro area Friday afternoon and evening. For areas included in this advisory that are not expected to exceed the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) air quality designation, we request that activities, such as driving non-ZEV vehicles (i.e., gas or diesel), be reduced to lessen the impacts on neighboring air quality. Additional air pollution in this region may directly worsen air quality or contribute to precursors which may also adversely affect air quality. For Colorado air quality conditions, forecasts and advisories, visit: www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

HEALTH INFORMATION...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.
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Front Range Action Day for Particulates Until at least 4 p.m. 10/16/2020
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an ACTION DAY ALERT at 4PM on Thursday, October 15, 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.

Areas of moderate to heavy smoke can be expected Friday morning for foothill locations in Boulder and Larimer County. This smoke will gradually dissipate late Friday morning. However, as fire activity increases Friday afternoon smoke will again increase at the local wildfires and be transported towards the I-25 corridor. Periods of moderate to heavy smoke from the Cameron Peak wildfire can be expected in Larimer County, while occasional moderate to heavy smoke from the East Troublesome wildfire could impact sections of Boulder County, especially foothill locations, and perhaps parts of the Denver metro area Friday afternoon and evening.

This Particulates Action Day Alert will remain in effect until at least 4 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2020.

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

At 8AM (MST), Friday, 10/16/2020 the highest AQI value was 45 for Particulate less than 2.5 micrometers which indicates Good air quality.

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:
Friday, October 16, 2020, 6:15 AM MDT

Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Friday.

Fine Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range on Friday. Areas of moderate to heavy smoke can be expected Friday morning for foothill locations in Boulder and Larimer County. This smoke will gradually dissipate late Friday morning. However, as fire activity increases Friday afternoon smoke will again increase at the local wildfires and be transported towards the I-25 corridor. Periods of moderate to heavy smoke from the Cameron Peak wildfire can be expected in Larimer County, while occasional moderate to heavy smoke from the East Troublesome wildfire could impact sections of Boulder County, especially foothill locations, and perhaps parts of the Denver metro area Friday afternoon and evening. In all these areas, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion on Friday.

Carbon Monoxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Friday.

Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Friday.

Visibility in Denver on Friday is expected to be Moderate, but could rapidly turn poor during the afternoon depending on local wildfire activity.

COLORADO SMOKE OUTLOOK:
Friday, October 16, 2020, 8:00 AM MDT

An Action Day for Fine Particulates has been issued for the Colorado Front Range until at least 4pm Friday. Areas of moderate to heavy smoke can be expected Friday morning for foothill locations in Boulder and Larimer County. This smoke will gradually dissipate late Friday morning. However, as fire activity increases Friday afternoon smoke will again increase at the local wildfires and be transported towards the I-25 corridor. Periods of moderate to heavy smoke from the Cameron Peak wildfire can be expected in Larimer County, while occasional moderate to heavy smoke from the East Troublesome wildfire could impact sections of Boulder County, especially foothill locations, and perhaps parts of the Denver metro area Friday afternoon and evening. In all these areas, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion on Friday. Please see www.colorado.gov/airquality/advisory.aspx for more information on the Action Day Alert in effect.

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)