Drought Conditions Increase Fire Danger In Arvada

ARVADA, CO — Firefighters across Colorado have been battling fires of all sizes over the past few weeks as dry weather continues.

A wildfire burned on South Table Mountain earlier this week, and crews battled a massive apartment fire Tuesday in Boulder.

Mild drought conditions hit Arvada and the rest of metro Denver in mid-September, and since then, the drought has worsened, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.

Drought spread from western Colorado across Denver's metro area, which was classified as 'D0: Abnormally dry' in mid-September. By the end of the month, our region worsened to 'D1: Moderate Drought,' according to the monitor, which is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

U.S. Drought Monitor Scale:

• D0: Abnormally Dry
• D1: Moderate Drought - Arvada's current classification
• D2: Severe Drought
• D3: Extreme Drought
• D4: Exceptional Drought

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Rainfall kept Arvada drought-free throughout the summer, but recent dry conditions have increased, weather officials said.

Western Colorado has battled extreme drought for months. Moffat, Routt, Rio Blanco and Montezuma counties remain under 'extreme' or 'exceptional' drought conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.