COLORADO, USA — Widespread reports of hazy conditions in Colorado Saturday are likely due to wildfire smoke coming from Utah and Wyoming.
Boulder County Sheriff's Office Public Information Office Vinnie Montez said in a video posted to social media that reports of haze and a smoke smell are due to the out-of-state wildfires.
The National Weather Service in Boulder says Saturday's smoke primarily stems from the Yellow Lake Fire burning southeast of Salt Lake City, which is estimated to be 7,789 acres with 18% containment as of Saturday morning.
There are also multiple wildfires burning in Wyoming, including the the Elk Fire, which is estimated to have burned 62,104 acres.
Montez said that anyone who does see active flames or a localized plume of smoke is asked to call 911.
"But if you're just seeing haze in the distance and smelling smoke, that's from the smoke coming in from the other states," Montez said.
There is high fire danger along the Front Range and northeastern plains of Colorado Saturday due to unseasonably warm temperatures, along with windy and dry conditions.
The National Weather Service has placed all of the areas in pink on the map below under a Red Flag Warning through sunset.
Avoid anything with a spark outside and have a to-go kit ready just in case a fire starts near your home.
Denver's forecast is for a high of 87 degrees Saturday, which would break the record of 86 from 1997. It will even be warm in the mountains with widespread 60s and 70s. To put this into perspective, the normal high for Denver this time of year is 70 degrees.
In addition to the very warm weather, it will also be windy, thanks to the current setup in the upper atmosphere. An area of low pressure passing through southern Canada will help drive gusty winds out of the west and northwest this afternoon. Speeds could top 25 mph at times with gusts between 30-50 mph.