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Wondering why we are seeing smoke in the Yampa Valley?

Smoke in the Yampa Valley.
Matt Stensland

Smoke visible in Routt County Tuesday can be attributed to the Brian Head Fire in southwestern Utah, according to Kevin Thompson, Routt County National Forest fire management officer.

The Weather Channel is describing the Brian Head Fire as the largest active wildfire in the U.S. On Tuesday, authorities evacuated additional homes and cabins near the site of a wildfire, which has burned more than 77 square miles near the ski town of Brian Head.

In total, the fire, which was sparked by someone using a torch to burn weeds on June 17, has burned 13 homes and forced more than 1,500 people from their residences in southern Utah.



Thompson said his office was getting numerous calls about the smoke Tuesday afternoon. Area residents do not need to call the Forest Service Office about the smoke unless they can see the base of a fire, Thompson said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released this statement about the smoke.



“A significant area of thin density smoke attributed to a number of wildfires over the Western and Southwestern United States could be seen this morning stretching from Wyoming southward over a good portion of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Within this large area of thin density smoke was a region of moderately dense to thick smoke affecting southern and eastern Utah, southern Wyoming, western Colorado, and northern and central New Mexico.”

Footage of the fire from Fox News:


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