Hazy Skies: Cottonwood Fire Plume Settles Over Grand Valley

You can smell it before you can see it.

Step outside in Grand Junction right now and the air immediately feels off. The Book Cliffs look faded. The sun has that strange orange tint that makes the whole valley look like it's being viewed through an old pair of sunglasses. Everybody's asking the same thing:

Where is all this smoke coming from?

Utah Isn't Suffering Alone

Most of what you're seeing isn't coming from Mesa County.

It's coming from Utah. Again.

The biggest culprit is the Cottonwood Fire burning near Beaver in central Utah. It only started a few days ago and has already burned tens of thousands of acres while producing a massive smoke plume. The wind has done the rest, carrying that smoke east and dropping it across Western Colorado.

The Cottonwood Fire isn't alone. Utah is dealing with several large fires, including the Iron Fire near Eureka, which has forced evacuations and burned tens of thousands of acres. Add in other fires scattered across the Great Basin, and the result is the gray ceiling hanging over the Grand Valley.

We Aren't Completely Off the Hook

That doesn't mean Colorado gets a free pass.

The Dry Creek Fire near Rifle forced evacuations south of the airport this week after a property fire spread and propane tanks reportedly began exploding. The Reeder Mesa Fire near Whitewater also prompted evacuations before crews got it under control.

Those fires aren't responsible for most of the haze covering the valley. But they are reminders that the same dry conditions fueling fires across Utah are sitting right here in Western Colorado.

The Part That Should Get Your Attention

We're still in June.

Anybody who has lived here long enough knows wildfire season usually finds another gear in July and August. The fact that smoke this thick is already hanging over the Grand Valley before the Fourth of July isn't exactly reassuring.

The Air Quality Health Advisory covering Western Colorado is a good reminder to take it easy if the smoke is bothering you. Keep windows closed, run an air filter if you have one, and maybe save the yard work for a better day.

Read More: Why Wildfire Experts Worry About Colorado Highways Each Summer

For now, we're waiting for cleaner air and a change in the weather.

And if the sunset looks unusually dramatic tonight from the Redlands or along Rim Rock Drive, well, now you know why.