Smoke likely to increase, could cause breathing issues

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The smokey haze in the sky on Monday around the Grand Valley is the product smoke from wildfires. The fires are burning from Idaho and Utah to Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas, and the smoke is blowing southward into Colorado. That smoke has stayed elevated above the ground so far.

New weather and smoke forecasts Monday evening indicate a sharp increase in high concentrations of smoke on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, and the smoke is expected to increase near to the ground across the Grand Valley.

The biggest increase is expected to begin between 4 PM and 7 PM Tuesday. The highest concentrations of smoke are expected to be on Wednesday. Improvements could begin on Thursday.

The smoke concentrations could be high enough to cause breathing problems, especially for people who already have respiratory ailments or other breathing issues. To avoid problems, limit your time outdoors. When you are outdoors, don’t over-exert yourself. The harder you breathe, the more smoke you breathe in. You may even smell the smoke at night when weather conditions are favorable for the highest concentrations near the ground.