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Flight For Life Forced To Turn Down Flights Due To Thick Smoke In Colorado

DENVER (CBS4) - Lack of visibility due to the wildfire smoke hovering over Colorado forced Flight for Life to turn down six flights in the last three days. The program director tells CBS4 low visibility made it too dangerous to fly.

FLIGHT 4 LIFE AVALANCHE 10 PKG.transfer_frame_1273
(credit: CBS)

Crews had to divert several other flights to less-risky and longer routes which creates longer response times. Sometimes, ground emergency crews had to respond in place of a flight because of bad conditions.

The smoke in Colorado is primarily coming from wildfires burning in northern California, specifically the Dixie Fire.

flight for life
Flight for Life helicopter (credit: CBS)

Flight for Life services the Denver metro area, Summit County, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Durango with five helicopters, three ambulances and three planes.

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