Weather

More Wildfire Smoke Flows Into Front Range

Heading outside Wednesday? Expect increased smoke from wildfires.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a pollution forecast for the Front Range.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a pollution forecast for the Front Range. (Amber Fisher/Patch)

DENVER, CO — Pollution levels in the Front Range and Eastern Plains remain elevated for those with sensitive lungs, Colorado public health officials said.

Fine particulate matter concentrations from California wildfire smoke will be in the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' category throughout the region Wednesday, and visibility will be in the 'extremely poor' to 'poor' categories in Denver, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said.

Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the 'moderate' to 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' range Wednesday.

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"Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion throughout the Front Range on Wednesday," the agency's forecast read.

Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels are expected to be in the 'good' category, health officials said.

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Ozone pollution, often called smog, forms when gases that come out of tailpipes and smokestacks, among other sources, come into contact with sunlight.

Ozone is one of the most dangerous and widespread pollutants in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association.

Ozone can damage people's airways, make their lungs more susceptible to infection and aggravate lung diseases, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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