Where is all the wildfire smoke in the Denver metro area coming from?

Several rounds of wildfire smoke have been moving into Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and communities up and down the I-25 corridor this week. Most of the smoke is coming from three active wildfires on Colorado's Western Slope: the Lee Fire, Elk Fire and Turner Gulch Fire.

Starting early Tuesday evening, residents in the Denver metro area may have noticed that the smoke overhead appeared thicker. This was a direct result of increased fire behavior earlier Tuesday afternoon on the Western Slope. 

Another noticeably thick round of wildfire smoke, coming from the same fires, is anticipated to arrive Wednesday night.

With winds blowing out of the west, smoke from these fires is carried into the atmosphere and funneled to the I-25 corridor. This results in smoke arriving in waves. As fire activity increases, so does the size and density of the smoke plume.

During calmer periods, when winds weaken, less smoke is transported along the Front Range, leading to temporary improvements in air quality.

The Elk Fire was listed at over 7,000 acres on Tuesday and the Lee Fire has burned more than 13,000 acres. Both are close to the town of Meeker. The Turner Gulch Fire, not far from the town of Gateway, is 49% contained and has burned more than 22,000 acres.