AURORA | Colorado had its lowest positivity rate for COVID-19 tests Monday, with only 2.18% of completed tests positive for the virus, Gov. Jared Polis announced at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
That was one spot of bright news in what’s been a challenging week for the state, as firefighters battle four wildfires that have broken out across Colorado. The governor addressed the two issues at the conference, saying that the pandemic has been a complicating factor in battling the fires but that the state had been preparing for a challenging fire season.
The fires cover a cumulative 133,000 acres across the state, mostly on state or federal land. The Grizzly Creek Fire in Glenwood Canyon is currently the number one fire priority in the nation, and at 86,000 acres the Pine Gulch Fire on the Western Slope is currently the fourth-largest fire in Colorado history. Three of the four fires are believed to have been caused by human activity.
To prevent any more fires breaking out, Polis said he is implementing a 30-day statewide fire ban, which disallows people from making campfires or using fireworks.
“We need to do everything we can to prevent new fires,” he said.
The state has currently spent $10 million fighting fires, said Stan Hikley, director of the department of public safety. That’s so far significantly less than it spent in 2018, when it spent approximately $40 million.
The department has changed its firefighting tactics and the ways it evacuates people to try and keep people as safe as possible from the pandemic, he said.
“We’ve done a lot to try to mitigate risk,” he said.
Polis addressed concerns about air quality caused by smoke from the fires at the conference.
“The combined impact on the air quality is profound,” he said.
Respiratory issues caused by smoke inhalation can mimic some COVID-19 symptoms, and he urged anyone who is having respiratory issues to get tested for COVID-19 as a precaution.
Fever, chills and diarrhea are three symptoms of COVID-19 that do not overlap with smoke damage, said Dr. Alexis Burakoff, a medical epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Burakoff said that people can download the AIRNow app from the EPA to track air quality in their area, and should keep their windows closed to keep smoky air out of their homes.
Polis stressed that Coloradans have done a good job mitigating the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks, social distancing and not having large gatherings, but continued success relies on people continuing to comply with those guidelines. He acknowledged that it can be hard to refrain from seeing people but that it’s important for the state to continue having a downward trend in COVID-19 cases.
“What we’re asking here is continued patience,” he said.