Elevated fire danger: Smoke, haze from three CO wildfires drift across Denver

As fire crews battle a third wildfire raging in Colorado in just three days, conditions remain ripe for a spark to set off another fire.

While the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder has not issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday, elevated fire weather conditions persist along Colorado’s higher elevations, and outdoor burning or any activities that could spark a fire should be avoided.

“The only reason we’re not seeing a Red Flag Warning today is because the winds have calmed down, if they were any gustier, as yesterday when we saw wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour, we’d see a number of warnings because it is really hot and dry,” said Denver7 Meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo.

Wind gusts early Wednesday morning ranged from between 5 to 15 mph along the Front Range, with slightly higher gusts out on the plains.

While the winds have slightly died down, hot temperatures and low relative humidity are still a concern for fire growth.

A weak front pushed through overnight and shifted the winds from north to south which will allow the wildfire smoke to drift down over Denver metro communities bringing hazier skies on Wednesday.

An air quality alert has been issued for the Denver metro and communities stretching up and down the I-25 corridor from Fort Collins through Castle Rock through at least 4 p.m. Wednesday.

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“Warm and stagnant weather combined with increasing amounts of both local and out-of-state wildfire smoke will result in ozone and fine particulate matter concentration possibly reaching unhealthy levels for air quality,” said the NWS.

People with sensitivity to respiratory issues should avoid prolonged outdoor activities.

“You can see how hazy and smoky it is out there right now. The plume of yesterday in Larimer County was pushing east along portions of I-25, today it’s pushing south towards parts of Boulder and Jefferson Counties plus we’re talking about additional fires that are adding to that smoke,” said Denver7 Meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo. “We’re going to continue to see that through today, so expect to see hazy conditions,”

Hidalgo said depending on the fire activity, it is likely smoke will push toward portions of Weld County and into northeastern Colorado over the next couple of days.

While the wind speeds have dropped slightly, conditions remain extremely hot and challenging for crews battling the Alexander Mountain, Stone Canyon and newly formed Quarry Fire.

Wildfire

Hundreds evacuated Wednesday as the Quarry Fire burns in Jefferson County

The Denver7 Team

The Quarry Fire which quickly grew overnight in Jefferson County triggered the evacuation of around 600 homes as the fire has burned around 100 acres west of Ken Caryl.

As Wednesday’s high temps reach the 90s, there is little relief for fire crews until Friday into Saturday when clouds move in bringing a slight chance of showers and storms, particularly during the afternoon hours.

“We need a really big shift in this pattern and a much stronger cold front but it’s not going to happen at least for the next few days,” added Hidalgo

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