Smoke from wildfire covers Colorado’s Front Range
Smoke fills the sky across the Front Range and other parts of Colorado on a windy day as firefighters continue to battle the Decker Fire in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.
The Decker Fire was first discovered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at approximately 12:15 p.m. The lightning-caused fire is now burning 1,591 acres just 9 miles south of Salida, with 5% containment.
Nearly 200 firefighters are on the scene working to put out the massive blaze in far northeast Saguache County. Strong gusty winds are carrying thick plumes of smoke as far north as Park County and as far east as the Front Range.
Smoke from the Decker Fire sets up a colorful sunset above Pikes Peak. Photo Credit: Spencer McKee
Smoke from the Decker Fire sets up a colorful sunset above Pikes Peak. Photo Credit: Spencer McKee
Smoke from the Decker Fire adds color to the mountain sky above Pikes Peak. Photo Credit: Breanna Sneeringer, OutThere Colorado
Smoke from the Decker Fire adds color to the mountain sky above Pikes Peak. Photo Credit: Breanna Sneeringer, OutThere Colorado
An air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke has been issued for Monday, September 30, for parts of central and southern Colorado. Heavy smoke is expected to be visible in Poncha Springs, Smeltertown, Salida, Cleora and Wellsville, with smoke impacts continuing through at least Tuesday morning. For more information, click here.
AIR QUALITY HEALTH ADVISORY for #WildfireSmoke: SE Chaffee and NW Fremont Counties: Poncha Springs, Smeltertown, Salida, Cleora and Wellsville. Gusty winds, warm temps, and low humidity increased fire activity on the #DeckerFire. #COFire Photo: G. Hagler https://t.co/o2HSEEeP6S pic.twitter.com/24gWVQyHF8 — CDPHE Air Pollution (@cdpheapcd) September 30, 2019
Red Flag Warnings remain in effect for most of central and eastern Colorado due to increasingly warm, dry, humid and windy conditions. Critical fire conditions are expected now through the rest of the week.
Critical fire danger will prevail again Monday afternoon for parts of Colorado due to strong southwest winds, low relative humidities, and warm temperatures. #cowx pic.twitter.com/xVdmGJFsMK — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) September 30, 2019
Closures are in effect for portions of the 101 and 101A roads on National Forest lands. Rainbow Trail south of 108 road to the Stout Lakes Trail has also been closed. Chaffee County Road 101/CR 49 (Bear Creek Road) in Fremont County will remain open to local traffic only. A temporary flight restriction will remain in effect above the fire area. Currently, there are no evacuations in place.
For updates on the Decker Fire, click here.