Smoke from Denver wildfire raises health concerns

DENVER (NBC, KYMA) - Wildfires burning in Colorado, and just to the west, are causing some major concerns with air quality.

State Air Quality Meteorologist Scott Landes says, "We've issued 20 [air quality alerts] already for the Northern Front Range, and thats quite a few."

Dr. Michael Wechsler, a pulmonologist with National Jewish Health, says, "People are requesting their inhalers or steroids and some have come into the emergency room and have even been hospitalized because of the exposure."

The smoke from the fires together with the ozone is hitting locals harder than expected.

"It's not just a matter of having a hard time breathing, it hurts," says Carol Defeo, a local Colorado Springs resident.

With the heat hanging around and these wildfires still burning, Landes says the unhealthy air may linger.

Landes best advice is, "In the meantime, it's just...do your best with what you can, and stay inside."