As you have noticed, being surrounded by two major wildfires has left Rifle’s air dense with smoke. Our weather forecast certainly doesn’t appear as though it will provide any relief anytime soon. We should anticipate smoky air especially in the evenings as the winds die down and the temperature drops.
Wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs, cause inflammation, affect your immune system, and make you more prone to lung infections including COVID-19.
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19 page to learn about the differences between symptoms of smoke exposure and COVID-19, and for ways to protect yourself from wildfire smoke during the pandemic.