Stuck beneath an atmospheric dome of hot air, the Colorado Front Range cities have also endured incursions of smoke from distant wildfires across the American West. Yesterday, three separate fires developed along the foothill corridor, from Metro Denver to Estes Park, aggravating the poor air quality.
Despite a good winter and spring snowpack across the Continental Divide, lower elevation ecosystems have been stressed by a hot and unusually dry summer. Furthermore, yesterday's fires developed on a relatively calm day; high winds, not uncommon here, would have made these flareups far worse. Unfortunately, at least one individual was killed and hundreds of residents were evacuated.
The Southwest Monsoon generally provides significant precipitation in August and rain is expected by the middle of next week; however, thunderstorms also bring the risk of lightning-induced wildfire. Finally, as our climate warms, the monsoon season may be altered, adding another level of uncertainty and risk in this fire-prone region.
