Smoke from West Coast wildfires will drift back into Colorado on Tuesday, creating moderate to unhealthy ozone concentrations for people with asthma and other lung ailments along the Front Range.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also issued an air quality health advisory across northern and western portions of the state due to smoke. The advisory began Tuesday morning and is set to expire at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
On the Front Range, active children and adults, as well as those with lung disease, like asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Fine particulate matter concentrations are expected to be moderate on Tuesday, while visibility in Denver is expected to become poor to extremely poor.
Both carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide concentrations are expected to be in the good category on the Front Range Tuesday, CDPHE says.
Statewide, the health agency placed 21 counties — from Ouray and San Miguel to Moffat and Rio Blanco to Jackson and Eagle — under an air quality health advisory into Wednesday morning. Cities under the advisory include Craig, Steamboat Springs, Meeker, Hot Sulphur Springs, Glenwood Springs, Vail, Grand Junction and Durango.
Health officials warn those with thick smoke in their neighborhood to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young and the elderly. If visibility is less than five miles, that means smoke has reached unhealthy levels.