Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued on Friday, Aug. 6, an air quality health advisory for Central and Western Colorado, this includes the entire San Luis Valley, due to wildfire smoke. The advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7.

According to forecasts, heavy smoke from California wildfires will begin to move into northwestern Colorado Friday afternoon and spread in a southeasterly direction across the rest of western and central Colorado Friday night into Saturday morning. Expect the heaviest smoke impacts in sheltered valley locations where atmospheric mixing is more limited.

The advisory is for the following areas — Moffat, Routt, Jackson, Grand, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Mesa, Pitkin, Lake, Park, Delta, Gunnison, Chaffee, Fremont, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, Hinsdale, Saguache, Custer, Dolores, Montezuma, San Juan, La Plata, Mineral, Archuleta, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla, Craig, Steamboat Springs, Walden, Hot Sulphur Springs, Meeker, Glenwood Springs, Eagle, Breckenridge, Central City, Georgetown, Grand Junction, Aspen, Leadville, Fairplay, Delta, Gunnison, Salida, Canon City, Montrose, Telluride, Ouray, Lake City, Saguache, Westcliffe, Dove Creek, Cortez, Silverton, Durango, Creede, Pagosa Springs, Del Norte, Alamosa, Conejos, and San Luis.

CDPHE recommends:

• 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 due to smoke in your neighborhood, the smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.

For the latest Smoke Outlook, visit:

www.colorado.gov/airquality/addendum.aspx#smoke

For more information about smoke and your health, visit:

www.colorado.gov/airquality/wildfire.aspx

For the latest Colorado statewide air quality conditions, forecasts, and advisories, visit:

www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx