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.

Air quality has taken a serious hit across the United States as a two-fold blow of wildfires in the West and in Canada have sent smoke pouring across large sections of the country — a problem that’s set to linger for days.

Wildfire smoke from the Bear Gulch Fire could create “unhealthy or hazardous” air quality conditions in Mason County over the next few days.