Fires Burning In So. Colorado Bring Haze To State

Smoke from the Bear and Purgatoire fires can be seen across the state, and it could have some impacts on your health.

Dr. Bernadette Albanese with the El Paso County Department Of Health and Enviornment said that certain groups of people will feel the effects more than others. “Typically the people that are affected by poor air quality are going to be the elderly, young children, infants, and then anybody with lung disease or heart disease.”

Healthy people for the most part will not feel the effects of the smoke according to Albanese, but she warns that air quality can change for the worse rapidly.

“Air quality in one day can change from good to moderate, or change from moderate to poor depending on the weather conditions,” said Albanese.

If you begin to feel effects from the smoke it is important to contact your doctor, Albanese said.

“You have to judge for yourself on how you are feeling and what you feel like if there is a change in terms of your breathing,” she said.

To check air quality visit the state’s website.