Haze from Colorado, Utah wildfires threatens air quality in Northern Colorado
Fires currently burning in western Colorado, Utah and beyond have caused the air quality in Colorado's Front Range to diminish. Health experts in Larimer County confirmed their data shows air quality has dipped in the last two days in Northern Colorado.
"Right now, we are seeing quite a bit of haze and smoke, at least on the foothills," said Tom Gonzales, Larimer County's public health director. "We are seeing a worsening in air quality, slowly increasing to a moderate level."
Gonzales encouraged residents in the region to consider shifting their activities to an indoor setting, citing the increase in ozone and particulates in the air.
"We encourage people to look before they go out and enjoy the outdoors," Gonzales said.
"The blue skies, everything looked clear, so today seemed fine," said Missy Vansickle, a Fort Collins resident who elected to go on a bike ride Tuesday.
Vansickle and Meghann Schaffer recently purchased new e-bikes.
"We are out riding, enjoying the sunshine and enjoying the outdoors and the heat," Vansickle said.
The duo noted that they were aware of the thick plume of smoke that covered much of Northern Colorado Monday evening.
"It was just so dark in the sky. As the sun set, it was just this orange glow, which just seemed unhealthy," Schaffer said. "I was concerned about it yesterday. But when we decided to come out and bike ride this morning, we checked and it looked OK. So we were like, 'We are probably safe.'"
While the air quality may have been slightly better Tuesday compared to Monday, Gonzales still warned that the air quality might be more dangerous for some people. He said those who are young, elderly, or women who are pregnant should consider staying indoors during the poor air quality. He suggested people sleep with their windows shut and air conditioners on while the air quality takes a hit, noting the county has resources on the health department page that can better assist the community with knowing when to stay inside.
Gonzales admitted he know Fort Collins and Northern Colorado residents are prone to getting outdoors no matter what. So he suggested residents consider doing their outdoor activities either in the early morning or late evening, citing a decrease in particulates in the air during those hours.
"Limit outdoor activity, stay indoors. If you have an air purifier, great. I would close the windows. At the same time, we are having high heat with forecasts of nearly 100 through Friday," Gonzales said. "So that is a compounding concern. If people's houses are too warm, we are encouraging them to find colder spaces, public spaces such as the library, shopping center."
