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Smoke from the Decker Fire likely to shift east today

Posted at 11:01 AM, Oct 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-02 13:01:10-04

Dry air and strong winds have fueled rapid growth in the Decker Fire overnight.

Located around 9 miles south of Salida, the Decker Fire has now grown to 3,746 acres with only 5 percent containment.

Decker Fire Smoke Sunset
A unique sunset over Pikes Peak due to smoke from the Decker Fire

Jet stream winds have carried smoke from the fire north and east over the last few days, becoming very notable in Teller County and giving Colorado Springs vibrant sunsets over Pikes Peak.

As a trough, a dip in the jet stream, passes through Colorado today, the winds up above the fire will begin to shift from the southwest to the west.

Westerly winds above the fire mean there's a high likelihood smoke will be carried east directly through Fremont County and into El Paso and Pueblo Counties. This could give the sky a very hazy look later today and overnight, as well as a smokey smell this evening as the smoke gets trapped under a temperature inversion.

Air quality alerts remain in effect for Chaffee and Fremont County until 9 am Thursday morning. If you live in El Paso and Pueblo and have breathing issues, just know that smoke could move into the area over the next 24 hours.