DURANGO INTERAGENCY FIRE DISPATCH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2014
Smoke from Wildfires in Utah and Pacific Northwest Drifting into Colorado DURANGO, Colo. — The U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center reports that numerous wildfires in Utah and the Pacific Northwest have produced significant smoke that is drifting into portions of western Colorado. There are no large wildfires in western Colorado at this time. The jet stream pushing smoke into western Colorado is expected to move east in the next few days, and hazy skies should clear. Air quality monitors around the state indicate that smoke concentrations are well below standards for particulate matter, a by-product of smoke. Information on wildfire smoke and health can be found on the Colorado State Public Health Department’s website: http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/wildfire.aspx.
The Durango Dispatch Center is the interagency focal point for the mobilization of resources from the San Juan National Forest, Tres Rios Field Office (BLM), Southern Ute Agency (BIA), and Ute Mountain Ute Agency (BIA). Located in Durango, Colorado, the Center has the responsibility to coordinate an initial attack on fires for the agencies listed above. Also, the Center mobilizes resources throughout the country in support of wildfire, prescribed fire, law enforcement and other all-risk incidents. To support incident management personnel, the Center provides predictive service products such as fire danger, intelligence, and weather.
More information is available at http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2drc/
