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Outside the Front Range/Denver Metro Area
No advisories at this time.
Friday, June 14, 2024, 2:10 PM MDT
Smoke impacts continue to be minimal in areas near the 585 acre Interlaken wildfire in southern Lake and northern Chaffee counties. Light winds and good atmospheric mixing are expected to loft smoke away from the surface on Friday and Saturday, resulting in minimal public health impacts. Thunderstorms are also possible in this area on Friday. These may produce gusty, erratic winds that may increase fire behavior and send smoke in any direction. CDPHE/APCD will continue to monitor fire activity and smoke production, and will re-issue advisories for smoke if concentrations increase. Light to moderate concentrations of smoke may linger in lower terrain in areas near Twin Lakes, particularly during the overnight and early morning hours. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion in areas where smoke is present.
The 323 acre Snow Ranch wildfire is located in western Archuleta County, approximately 11 miles west of Pagosa Springs. Thunderstorms are also possible in this area on Friday. These may produce gusty, erratic winds that may increase fire behavior and send smoke in any direction. Smoke will be visible along Highway 160 between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, and may settle in low lying terrain during the overnight and early morning hours in area near the fire. Although public health impacts are expected to remain minimal, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion in areas where smoke is present.
Light to moderate concentrations of smoke are also possible near small wildfires and other prescribed burns 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 below.
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. To temporarily relocate to an area with better air quality, consider using this map (https://fire.airnow.gov/) to identify the best area closest to you. IF VISIBILITY IS LESS THAN 5 MILES IN SMOKE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SMOKE HAS REACHED LEVELS THAT ARE UNHEALTHY.
ACTION DAYS: An Action Day for fine particulate matter (particulates), 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 trigger voluntary pollution prevention measures, which may vary by season, and public health recommendations.
The AIR QUALITY INDEX reports the daily level of air pollution on an hourly basis. The index reports the highest level of either carbon monoxide, fine particulates or ozone depending on which pollutant has the greatest hourly concentration. Values greater than 100 for carbon monoxide, fine particulates and ozone indicate exceedances of the pollutant's state and federal standards. Air Quality Index values between 0-50 are good, 51-100 moderate, 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy, and over 300 hazardous.
COLORADO OPEN BURN FORECAST: For those with permits for Open Burning, that is burning of waste materials or vegetation outside, check the following webpage to find out if open burning is allowed today:
http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/burn_forecast.aspx
FOR CURRENT AIR QUALITY INFORMATION AND UPDATES:
http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/advisory.aspx
http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/air_quality.aspx
ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY INDEX:
https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
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