Colorado wildfire smoke forecast

The map shows NOAA HRRR-Smoke near-surface PM2.5 for the next 48 hours, updated hourly, with active fire perimeters from NIFC and live AQI from EPA AirNow monitors. It opens over Denver. Search any town or use the buttons above.

Front Range cities (Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs) often see smoke arrive aloft from West Coast and Pacific Northwest fires, then mix down in the afternoon on top of any local mountain-fire smoke. Western Slope valleys like Grand Junction and Durango pool smoke under terrain.

Use the layer toggle to compare NOAA HRRR-Smoke with the ECCC FireWork model. When the two disagree, treat the higher reading as the cautious call.

Near-surface is the product that maps to what you breathe and to AQI, not the high-altitude column that only tints the sunset.