Thick Western Wildfire Smoke Returns To Northern Colorado, Could Last Into Monday

DENVER (CBS4) - The sky turned hazy in northern Colorado on Saturday as smoke from dozens of Western wildfires moved back into the state. The smoke was thick enough to reduce the visibility to the point where Denver's skyline was barely visible from our camera in the Denver Tech Center.

The map below shows how many fires are burning in the west. Upper-level winds have transported some of the smoke all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. You can visit the Air Now website by clicking here to see the map below in real-time.

Computer forecast models show the smoke could stick around much of northern Colorado through Monday with occasional fluctuation in the thickness. Shifting winds could give us a little break during the upcoming week but because there is just so much smoke in the atmosphere right now it's hard to know if it will go away entirely.

The state health department has issued an Air Quality Alert for the I-25 urban corridor along the Front Range. It will be in effect through at least Sunday afternoon. The alert is for high levels ozone near the surface, but wildfire smoke is also mixed in the air and can impact those with sensitive or compromised respiratory systems.

In:
• Haze
• Wildfire Smoke