How is the visibility/air quality/smog level? (Denver, Colorado Springs: to live in, law)

[dtmoss14]

Particularly around the Estes Park area/ Boulder/ west of Denver.

Thanks.

[DannyBanany]

The rule of thumb in the Front Range is: further way from Denver, better the air. Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Loveland have cleaner, fresher air than anywhere near Denver.

Rankings - American Lung Association site

These towns are on the list for some of the cleanest air in the U.S.
Avoid SoCal I guess...

[Charles]

I am probably missing some key information but I understand there is some sort of ordinance or law against wood burning fireplaces in Denver? El Paso County? Colorado? Arapahoe county...something like that...
But I think just last year smog checks were eliminated here in El Paso County. In LA everyone has a wood burning fire place and everyone knows the smog situation in LA.

Am I missing something?

[COflower]

Charles - To the best of my knowledge the only burn restrictions (for fireplaces and wood burning stoves) take place up in the Denver Metro area. They will have no-burn days up there based on their more severe inversion periods but otherwise are not restricted.

The only restrictions in El Paso County are those dealing with burning of trash and agricultural matter and require a permit during drought and may have specific days they can burn out in the county.

Each locality is going to be different but I think that the major counties (I think 7 total?) in the Denver Metro area work together with the state's health and environment department to issue no-burn days.

It's been a while since I lived up there but since a lot of people still do rely upon fireplaces and wood burning stoves to heat their home, I think they don't have out and out bans.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

The rule of thumb in the Front Range is: further way from Denver, better the air. Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Loveland have cleaner, fresher air than anywhere near Denver.

Rankings - American Lung Association site

These towns are on the list for some of the cleanest air in the U.S.
Avoid SoCal I guess...

When I would drive from Cheyenne to Denver, particularly in winter, visible smog would usually start about at Fort Collins. It would get worse as one got closer to Denver. Quite often, the smog would follow the South Platte river valley, so it was possible to see smog all the way from Denver, up north through Greeley, and sometimes as far east as Sterling. What really sucked was when the wind would come from the east and blow the smog up against the mountains and even up into the foothills.

A lot of the visible smog has been cleaned up on the Front Range in the last 20 or 30 years, but ozone and other invisible pollutants can still be a problem. Denver no longer has the worst air quality in the Rocky Mountain region. Sadly, that dubious distinction belongs to Salt Lake City, Utah. The often hideous air quality in SLC in winter is a black mark on the otherwise splendid setting that city enjoys. If not for that, Salt Lake would top the Front Range as the best urban area in which to live in the Rockies, in my opinion--but that air quality issue is a big negative, and not likely to improve.

If the Front Range continues to grow as madly as it has in the last few years (which I sincerely hope it does not), the Front Range is going to go back to having serious air quality problems again. Altitude, mountains, and big cities just don't mix when it comes to keeping good air quality.

[DannyBanany]

Air quality might not be as good in Loveland either. Depending on how the wind blows. I was at the Outlets one day and as I walked into a store it smelled like cow S**T. The worker said she was sorry and that the smell happens when east winds blow from Greeley.

I'd take smog over cow piles ANY DAY!

[b.adams]

What Danny is saying is very true. On certain days, Loveland and/or Fort Collins can smell like a cattle yard -- and its coming from Greeley. This isn't a common occurance, but it does happen.

Estes Park probably has the best air. Boulder, not really much better than Denver, IMHO.

Normally, the local TV stations announce when it going to be a "red air pollution" day and on those days, your asked to limited your driving and no burn wood (wood burining fireplaces). Normally, most days are not red. BUt most cold days were you would WANT a fire ARE red days. But its not strongly enforced, esp. outside of denver.

To good part is that the front range also gets wind ... and wind clears the air and the snow itself also clears the air. Its nothing even comparable to LA. Not even. Its the cold days the follow a snow storm which are calm (no wind) which produce the haze and brown cloud in denver. Again, were probably taking 20-25 days per winter which are red days.

Today was a little hazy, meaning you can't see the snow capped peaks so well ... but it was also blue sky, no clouds and 68-69 ... PERFECT !!! Had there been no haze, it would have been even better. But a hazy day in Colorado is still better visibility than in most places with humidy.

[NeMeZyZ]

who cares when the quality us close to 80's..go to city compare and check it out...i love in miami beach and the quality here is under 30 i beilieve and i know its terrible. up there man, clear brisky fresh cold air