Smoke from wildfires in southern California, Idaho, and Oregon is set to move over Colorado in the next couple of days, leading to hazy skies and potential health risks for individuals with respiratory conditions.
The smoke from the major wildfires in California is already spreading across Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, with projections showing it will reach Colorado’s Western Slope by Wednesday night, as reported by state Public Health and Environment officials on the Colorado Smoke Blog.
National Weather Service forecasts indicate that wildfire smoke will cover a large portion of the state, including the metro Denver area.
đź‘€Incoming Smoke: We’ll see some smoke from #CaliforniaFires arrive late tonight, but a thicker plume arrives late tomorrow afternoon and evening. That latter plume of smoke originates from the active CA fires later today. #COwx pic.twitter.com/5dOi22M1ti
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) September 11, 2024
A low-pressure system is expected to bring more smoke into the region on Thursday, resulting in hazy skies and moderate smoke, although wind patterns should help disperse some of the smoke, according to state officials.
Furthermore, wildfire smoke from Idaho and Oregon may impact northwest Colorado on Thursday night.
State public health officials advised residents who are sensitive to wildfire smoke, such as those with asthma or COPD, to limit outdoor activities starting Thursday and continuing into Friday.
Public health leaders are hopeful that the same storm system carrying the smoke to Colorado will also bring cooler temperatures and less dry air to the wildfires, potentially reducing smoke production and improving air quality in Colorado.
