Health officials warn of dangerous haze in Aspen area

An out-of-control wildfire in Arizona is spewing so much smoke and ash into the sky that it is harming Colorado's air quality and prompting health officials here to issue an advisory for Aspen and its surrounding areas.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued its largest smoke health advisory of the season today warning residents in the Aspen area and the southern half of the state to beware of prolonged exposure or exertion outside. The advisory specifically targets at-risk individuals, including elderly, the very young, or those with heart disease or respiratory illnesses.

The Wallow fire, which on Monday ranked as the third largest in Arizona history, has charred 233,552 acres so far, most of it in the Apache National Forest along the state's eastern border. Meanwhile, low humidity and high winds are fueling fires elsewhere in Arizona. A pair of wildfires that broke out near the Colorado-New Mexico border have been contained.

Colorado health officials said some people should consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors or making them ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in your neighborhood, they said, smoke has reached unhealthy levels.

Particulates can trigger serious health problems that include symptoms such as shortness of breath or tightness in the chest. It can also trigger the onset of other troubles associated with respiratory ailments, such as asthma.

In addition to the Aspen area, the state advisory covers Colorado Springs and everything south.

Even along the Front Range, in cities like Boulder and Denver, residents are advised to be wary.

Meteorologists are predicting cooler temperatures and rain this week that should help cleanse Colorado's dirty air.

River Name / Location	Stream flow, ft3/s	Gage height ft
Gore Creek
At Upper Station, Near I-70 Twin Bridges	n/a	4 ft
Booth Creek	n/a	4 ft
Abv Red Sandstone Creek At Vail	199	6 ft
At Mouth Near Minturn	225	7 ft
Beaver Creek
At Avon	21	2 ft
Lake Creek
Near Edwards	79	1 ft
Cross Creek
Near Minturn	98	4 ft
Homestake Creek
At Gold Park	127	5 ft
Eagle River
East Fork Eagle River Near Climax	n/a	2 ft
At Red Cliff	30	3 ft
Near Minturn	234	4 ft
Wastewater Treatment Plant At Avon	671	5 ft
Below Gypsum	826	5 ft
Colorado River
Near Kremmling	402	4 ft
Near Dotsero	1,620	3 ft
Below Glenwood Springs	3,080	5 ft
Near Cameo	3,740	6 ft
Below Grand Valley Div Nr Palisade	2,160	5 ft
Near Colorado-utah State Line	4,080	4 ft
Near Cisco, Ut	4,100	3 ft
At Lees Ferry, Az	12,100	9 ft
Near Grand Canyon, Az	12,000	9 ft
Yuma Main Canal Ww At Yuma, Az	997	10 ft
Roaring Fork River
Abv Lost Man Cr Near Aspen	n/a	n/a ft
Ab Difficult C Nr Aspen	53	1 ft
Near Aspen	77	1 ft
Near Emma	464	6 ft
At Glenwood Springs	1,150	3 ft
Hunter Creek
Near Aspen	57	2 ft
At Aspen	49	4 ft
Frying Pan River
Near Ruedi	111	2 ft
Crystal River
Abv Avalanche Crk, Near Redstone	610	2 ft
Arkansas River
Ef Arkansas R At Us Highway 24, Nr Leadville	46	3 ft
Near Leadville	85	5 ft
Below Empire Gulch Near Malta	156	3 ft
Below Granite	453	4 ft
Near Nathrop	451	4 ft
At Parkdale	469	3 ft