Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke
Affected Area: Jackson, Grand, Summit, Clear Creek, Gilpin and Park Counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Rand, Kremmling, Granby, Winter Park, Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Georgetown, Central City, and Fairplay.
Advisory in Effect: 9:00 AM MDT, Monday, August 17, 2020 to 9:00 AM MDT, Tuesday, August 18, 2020.
Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
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 portions of northern and central Colorado due to the Cameron Peak and Williams Fork wildfires. Smoke will gradually diminish late Monday morning as atmospheric mixing increases, with the slowest improvement occurring in valley locations. By Monday afternoon the wind at the fires will initially be variable in direction, but will eventually shift to the north. This could bring periods of moderate to heavy smoke for areas to the south of both wildfires through Monday evening. By late Monday evening smoke will begin to drain into lower lying areas surrounding both fires. This will bring longer duration, heavy smoke through early Tuesday morning to drainages near the Cameron Peak wildfire including Poudre Canyon Road and Joe Wright Creek. Meanwhile, heavy overnight smoke from the Williams Fork wildfire will impact locations along Grand County Road 3 and Poudre Canyon Road. Note: Larimer County and other Front Range locations could also be impacted by smoke from these wildfires. However those areas are currently covered by an advisory under the regulatory Action Day program.