Front Range Ozone Action Day Alert Until at least 4 p.m. 06/12/2021

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Regional Air Quality Council have issued an OZONE ACTION DAY ALERT at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021 for the Front Range Urban Corridor from Douglas County north to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver-Boulder area, Fort Collins and Greeley.

Ozone concentrations are expected to reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category on Saturday. The highest concentrations of ozone are most likely for locations in the southern and western portions of the Denver Metro area, and northward along the Front Range and lower foothills to include Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins.

This Ozone Action Day Alert will remain in effect until at least 4 p.m. Saturday, June 12, 2021.

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

The highest Ozone related AQI at 3 o'clock PM Mountain Standard Time on June 11, 2021, is 54 which indicates Moderate ozone air quality. It was recorded by the NREL ambient ozone monitor. Unusually sensitive individuals may experience respiratory symptoms. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.

The highest Particulate Matter (PM2.5) related AQI at 3 o'clock PM Mountain Standard Time on June 11, 2021, is 46 which indicates Good Particulate Matter (PM2.5) air quality. It was recorded by the SWAN ambient monitor.

Front Range Air Quality Forecast & Colorado Smoke Outlook
FRONT RANGE AIR QUALITY FORECAST:
Friday, June 11, 2021, 2:00 PM MDT

Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Friday and in the Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range on Saturday.

On Saturday, concentrations of ozone in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category are most likely for location in the southern and western portions of the Denver Metro area, and northward along the Front Range and lower foothills to include Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins. In these areas active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion from noon to 8 pm on Saturday.

Elsewhere along the Front Range, Moderate concentrations of ozone are anticipated on Friday and Saturday. See fine Particulate matter below for health recommendations.

Fine Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Friday and Saturday. Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are most likely for locations within the Denver Metro area near busy roadways and heavy industrial sites. However, due to smoke from out-of-state fires, Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are possible throughout the Front Range region. In areas where Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are experienced, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion on Friday and Saturday.

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

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

Visibility in Denver on Saturday is expected to be Poor during the morning, improving to Moderate during the afternoon.

COLORADO SMOKE OUTLOOK:
Friday, June 11, 2021, 2:10 PM MDT

Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke

Issued for Delta, Mesa and Garfield Counties
Issued at 8:00 AM MDT, Friday, June 11, 2021

Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Affected Area: Delta, Mesa and Garfield Counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Delta, Grand Junction, Rifle, and Glenwood Springs.

Advisory in Effect: 8:00 AM MDT, Friday, June 11, 2021 to 9:00 AM MDT, Saturday, June 12, 2021.

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 the advisory area Friday morning, particularly in valley locations. Smoke will gradually decrease late Friday morning, however any fire activity today at the Pack Creek wildfire in eastern Utah will send smoke back into the area late Friday afternoon and Friday evening. This brings the potential for another period of moderate to heavy smoke overnight Friday night and into early Saturday morning.

For other parts of Colorado not mentioned in the above advisory, hazy skies and generally light to moderate concentrations of smoke are possible on Friday and Saturday from wildfires in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Across Colorado, particularly for interior mountain valley locations and busier metropolitan areas, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion on Friday and Saturday.

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.

Summer Ozone Program
Ground-level ozone is an air pollution problem that impacts the health of all Coloradans. Exposure can cause acute respiratory problems and trigger asthma attacks. During Ozone Action Alerts, avoid rigorous outdoor activity during the heat of the day. Prolonged exposure can cause long-lasting damage to your lungs.

You CAN make a difference by doing your part to improve air quality along Denver's Front Range. Combining or skipping just two car trips a week has a positive impact on our air quality. Find other easy solutions that fit your lifestyle from Simple Steps. Better Air. ( www.SimpleStepsBetterAir.org ), a program of the Regional Air Quality Council.

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)