The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for wildfire smoke due to the Decker Fire. The area affected includes southeastern Chaffee and northwestern Fremont Counties, including, but not limited to, the communities of Poncha Springs, Smeltertown, Salida, Cleora, Wellsville, Howard, Coaldale and Cotopaxi.
(Courtesy photo)
The alert extends overnight for the affected area until at least 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. The public health recommendations include staying indoors if smoke is thick, especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly.
Chaffee County Public health has issued recommendations for outdoor activity during the fire situation, including outdoor recess and PE for students when moderate to heavy smoke is present.
If smoke is present in the area, public health says to consider relocating indoors temporarily if smoke is present and is making you ill.
How do you know how much smoke is too much?
“If visibility is less than five miles in smoke in your neighborhood, the smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy,” CDPHE says. In addition to their in-school recommendations, public health recommends students remain indoors until after school transportation arrives (including buses and childcare vans). They recommend no student crossing guard duty, as well as no athletic events and no outdoor practice while smoke levels remain in unsafe territory.
Smoke impacts are expected to continue through at least Thursday morning. Smoke will generally move to the east of the fire into southeastern Chaffee and northeastern Fremont county and could bring periods of heavy smoke to Poncha Springs, Smeltertown, Salida, Cleora, Wellsville, Howard, Coaldale and Cotopaxi.
Health impacts from this fire are expected to remain localized in areas near the fire, according to Chaffee Public Health. However, in areas where moderate concentrations of smoke are experienced, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.
“I have been in close communications with Gayle Hagler, the Decker Fire air resource advisor currently on scene locally,” said Chaffee County Public Health Director Andrea Carlstrom. Winds may shift more toward Salida on Thursday. To be on the safe side, Hagler recommends that until further notice, be postponed or brought indoors until the conditions improve to avoid the symptoms from poor air quality.
For the latest reports, the community is encouraged to check out regular forecasts and updates at Inciweb and the fire event Facebook page www.facebook.com/DeckerFire2019.”
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