Most Viewed Stories
Health advisory returns, but smoke may disappear Tuesday
SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. — A massive wildfire in eastern Arizona that forced the evacuation of several mountain communities has grown to 301 square miles, and crews face another tough day ahead, fire officials said Monday.
Strong winds and low humidity were predicted at the Wallow fire, with a red flag warning in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The U.S. Forest Service said the blaze has burned nearly 193,000 acres since it started more than a week ago near the White Mountain town of Alpine. So far there is zero containment.
About 2,300 firefighters are at the scene, including many from several western states and as far away as New York, fire information officer Peter Frenzen said.
UPDATE:
The on-again, off-again smoke health advisory for most of southern Colorado, including the Colorado Springs area, is on yet again, having launched at 4 p.m. Monday and continuing until at least noon on Tuesday.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says people in a wide swath of the southern part of the state, from Durango east to the Front Range, can expect periods of moderate to heavy smoke, much of it riding in on upper-level winds from the massive Wallow fire in Arizona.
The big question: When will this hazy, windy stretch of weather go away? Kathy Torgerson with the National Weather Service in Pueblo says the latest forecast indicates the air will begin clearing to some degree on Tuesday afternoon, and it should be noticeably clearer on Wednesday, with a change in wind patterns sending the smoke further south and east.
The advisory targets people with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young and the elderly, who are most at risk of suffering adverse effects from the smoky air and are advised to lay off any heavy exertion and consider staying indoors. But even those without underlying health problems might want to take it easy.
"Peple need to pay attention to what their bodies are telling them," said Christopher Dann, spokesman for the state public health department's air pollution control division.
STORY FROM 6/6/11 a.m.:
The Colorado health department is warning of dangerous haze from wildfires in southwest Colorado and Arizona.
The department says the fires are creating a dangerous haze over Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Walsenburg, Trinidad, Alamosa, Westcliffe, Canon City and surrounding areas.
The health department says people with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, young children and the elderly should limit prolonged exertion.
The department says some people should consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making them ill.
And if the haze isn't enough, you'll have plenty of heat in the Pikes Peak region.
Just before 3 p.m. Colorado Springs hit 91 degrees, breaking the previous mark of 90 set in 1988.
Colorado Springs hit a record-high temperature on Sunday. And it's not even summer!
Smoke from Ariz. fire spreads to Midwest
DENVER — Smoke from the Arizona wildfire has spread as far away as 1,000 miles from the blaze.
Kyle Fredin, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Denver, said Monday that a ridge of high pressure was carrying the smoke as far away as central Iowa. He said the smoke was also hitting eastern Colorado — where it obscured the view of the mountains from downtown Denver — as well as New Mexico, Nebraska and Kansas.
Fredin said the smoke won't be as noticeable in the Midwest, where humidity already makes conditions hazy, but it would likely cause striking orange-pink sunrises and sunsets, as it has in Denver.
The high pressure system is also bringing hot, dry weather along with the smoke. Cooler temperatures are expected by Wednesday, bringing cleaner air with it.
