While the smoke is worst along the Western Slope where the fires are burning, levels are also fluctuating on the Front Range. Widespread moderate to heavy smoke was evident in Rio Blanco, Garfield, Routt, Jackson, Grand and Summit counties on Thursday morning.

Together, five wildfires burning on Colorado’s Western Slope have consumed hundreds of square miles, destroying at least five homes and 19 outbuildings, fire officials said.

Drought conditions in Colorado continued to worsen this week with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report detailing “exceptional drought” conditions in the region where the state’s largest wildfires are burning.

At least 15 fires have burned more than 209,000 acres across Delta, Dolores, Garfield, Grand, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, and Rio Blanco counties, as well as in parts of eastern Utah.

On August 14, drought conditions in the Western Slope were at an exceptional drought level. Across the Western Slope, smoke in the air has been a common sight, experts said it’s no coincidence. Drought conditions have left the landscape dry,

Gov. Jared Polis made three stops on the Western Slope on Thursday. The first one was to Talbott farms, where Polis picked plenty of plump Palisade peaches. He was visiting with local agriculture groups and checking out this year’s peach harvest.

While medical treatment and sanitary improvements have lessened its impact, the bubonic plague — responsible for the Black Death in the 14th century — could still be alive in your backyard. Early in August,

As yet another large wildfire grows on the Western Slope, Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster emergency statewide and authorized the use of the National Guard. The Crosho Fire, which sparked

Firefighting aircraft battle multiple wildfires in western Colorado, with 41 planes and helicopters deployed to protect over 185,000 acres.