Air quality monitoring and advisories

Overview

The Air Pollution Control Division monitors, forecasts, and analyzes data, including modeling the impacts of pollution sources and the outcomes of pollution control strategies. The division provides resources across the state to ensure everyone has access to timely, accurate information regarding the air quality in their region. The division uses monitors to measure air pollution and evaluate weather conditions. The division issues alerts or advisories when conditions show Colorado might experience elevated air pollution levels.

For daily recorded advisories and forecasts for the northern Front Range region (Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins, Greeley, and surrounding areas), contact:

• Air quality forecast and information line: 303-782-0211.
  Includes the open burn forecast for the Denver metro area. 
• Action Day Alert line: 303-758-4848.

View Colorado air quality monitoring, forecasting and data analysis, including modeling the impacts from pollution sources and modeling the outcomes of pollution control strategies.
 

Colorado air quality advisories

Learn more about current Colorado air quality advisories, including the conditions and forecasts for the northern Front Range, Denver metro area, and other Colorado regions.

To stay current on Colorado wildfire activity, prescribed burning operations, and smoke from out-of-state sources, visit the Colorado Smoke Blog.

Sign up for Colorado Air Quality email alerts.
 

Action Day Alerts

• When conditions warrant, the forecast will call for an Action Day Alert.
• Action Day Alerts are confined to the sections of the Denver/northern Front Range region, depending on the season.
• An Action Day Alert for fine particulates ozone, or multiple pollutants, indicates current air quality is a public health concern, or air quality conditions are expected to worsen later in the day or the following day.  An Action Day Alert for visibility can also be issued during the winter months when visibility is expected to be poor the following day.
• Action Day Alerts for air pollutants generally mean air quality will be in the Unhealthy or Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups categories, according to the Air Quality Index.
• During the winter months in the seven-county metro Denver area, Action Days Alerts trigger mandatory residential burning restrictions, voluntary driving reductions, and public health recommendations.
• Residential burning restrictions apply between Nov. 1 and March 31.

Denver-area wintertime residential burning restrictions.
 

Ozone advisories

• Ozone advisories can occur statewide at any time of the year, but in the Denver/northern Front Range region they are more common in the summer.
• When ground-level ozone concentrations are expected to reach levels that are a public health concern in the Denver/northern Front Range ozone nonattainment area, our forecasts will indicate an Ozone Action Day Alert is in effect.
  • We then encourage voluntary reductions in driving, lawn mowing, painting, and other activities that release ozone-forming hydrocarbons and volatile chemical compounds.
  • Mandatory outdoor burning restrictions are in effect for the ozone non-attainment area during an Ozone Action Day Alert.
• When no Action Day Alert is indicated, air quality is good or moderate and is expected to remain so during the effective period of the forecast.
  • No restrictions are in place.

Learn more about Ozone pollution and your health.

Contact us

Questions? Email cdphe_aq_subscribe@state.co.us.