Wildfires In Canada Creating Hazy Skies Along Front Range

DENVER (CBS4) - Wondering why the skies were so hazy today?

Believe it or not, it's coming from wildfires over 1,000 miles away.

Winds high in the atmosphere have brought smoke from fires in the Northwest Territories of Canada to much of eastern Colorado.

In addition to the smoke in the skies, the forecast calls for warm temperatures, abundant sunshine and light winds over the next 24 hours; conditions prime for the formation of ground-level ozone.

An Ozone Action Alert has been issued for the Front Range urban corridor, including Denver-Boulder, Colorado Springs, Greeley and Fort Collins until 4 p.m. Thursday, July 3.

HELP REDUCE GROUND-LEVEL OZONE

There are several things you can do to help prevent the formation of ozone, including the following...

•keep your vehicle well maintained

•get gas after 5 p.m. on hot, sunny days

•when pumping gas, stop at the click and don't overfill the tank

•walk to lunch and run errands after work

•take public transportation at least once a week

•use gas-powered lawn equipment after 5 p.m on hot, sunny days

•avoid painting and staining projects in the heat of the day

•tightly cap all solvents and store them in a cool place

GROUND-LEVEL OZONE IMPACTS

Ozone at the ground level is a health hazard for everybody, especially the young and elderly.

Those who work or play outside could experience breathing difficulties and eye irritation. High levels of ozone near the ground can also trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases like bronchitis and COPD.

Prolonged exposure to high amounts of ground-level ozone can result in reduced resistance to lung infections and colds.