All 64 Colorado counties under Air Quality Alert

Colorado health officials said on Thursday that all 64 counties were under an Air Quality Health Advisory for wildfire smoke as haze from fires outside the state spread across Colorado. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s air-quality pages showed a statewide smoke advisory on August 6, while separate Front Range notices warned of elevated ozone and particle pollution. Local forecasts said temperatures were expected to climb into the 90s and near 100 degrees by the end of the week. CBS Colorado reported Thursday that researchers and health experts are warning that smoke exposure can carry significant health risks. ### Which agency put all 64 counties under alert? The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said an Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke had been issued for all Colorado counties. The state air-quality summary page on Thursday listed the advisory statewide, and the Colorado Smoke Blog said wildfire smoke from several western states was affecting Colorado into midweek. CDPHE separately said Action Day alerts are generally used when air quality is expected to fall into “Unhealthy” or “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” ranges under the Air Quality Index. The department says those alerts trigger public-health recommendations and voluntary pollution-prevention measures. ### Where is the smoke coming from? Colorado media reports said the smoke was tied to fires outside the state. (colorado.gov) Yahoo’s weather report, cited in the source briefing, said a cold front pushed smoke from out-of-state fires into Colorado, while the Colorado Smoke Blog said smoke from several western states was moving into the state through Tuesday and Wednesday. The Gazette, citing National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Garberoglio in Pueblo, reported this week that smoke from fires in Eastern Washington had contributed to hazy conditions in Colorado Springs. (cdn.colorado.gov) Garberoglio told the paper, “We had a front come in last night, and it brought a lot of the (wildfire) smoke with it.” (colosmokeoutlook.blogspot.com) ### What parts of Colorado were also dealing with ozone and particulates? The Front Range Urban Corridor was under a separate Action Day alert for multiple pollutants, including ozone and particle pollution due to smoke, according to CDPHE. The state advisory page said the affected corridor stretched from Douglas County north to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver-Boulder area, Fort Collins and Greeley. (gazette.com) CDPHE says high ozone levels can raise health concerns for sensitive people, including older Coloradans, young children, and people with asthma or other respiratory conditions. The department’s public-information page says Action Day alerts for fine particulates, ozone or multiple pollutants indicate current air quality is a public-health concern or is expected to worsen. ### How hot is it expected to get while the smoke lingers? (colorado.gov) Colorado television forecasts said the smoke was arriving during a stretch of late-summer heat. 9NEWS reported highs of 94 on Thursday, 97 on Friday and 99 on Saturday, while KRDO said Thursday highs would reach the mid- to upper 90s in Colorado Springs and Pueblo. (cdphe.colorado.gov) Yahoo’s weather report, cited in the source briefing, said temperatures across Colorado were expected to reach the 90s and near 100 degrees by week’s end. Fox Weather also reported that smoke was expected to affect some of the country’s most visited national parks by Thursday night. ### What are health researchers and local experts saying about smoke exposure? (9news.com) CBS Colorado reported on August 6 that exposure to wildfire smoke in Colorado “can be equivalent to smoking about 7 cigarettes,” citing research discussed by a health professional at Metropolitan State University of Denver. A separate CBS Colorado report last month said there is “no sort of healthy level of exposure” to smoke particles and that reducing exposure is the safest course. (9news.com) CBS Colorado also reported last month that wildfire smoke drifting through Colorado had pushed parts of the Front Range and Northern Colorado into some of the worst air quality conditions in the United States, prompting warnings for people with underlying respiratory conditions. ### Where can residents check conditions next? CDPHE said current advisories, air-quality maps and reporting systems are posted on the state’s air-quality website, including Colorado-wide and Front Range-specific notices. (cbsnews.com) The Colorado Smoke Blog is also publishing August smoke outlook updates as conditions change. Friday forecasts from local stations were expected to provide the next read on whether heat and smoke would persist into the weekend, with the state air-quality site continuing to post advisory updates. (cbsnews.com) (9news.com) (colorado.gov)