DENVER, BOULDER, FORT COLLINS: PLACES WITH NO HOUSES FOR SALE

A report from Nationwide covering the second quarter of 2017 showed that Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins were all in the top five tightest housing markets in the nation. Denver has .98 months inventory; Boulder and Fort Collins each have 1.24. The other two locations in the top five were Seattle and Tacoma. A healthy level of inventory, one in which supply and demand are more balanced and therefore price appreciation is slower, is around six months.

MAJOR DENVER ARCHITECTURAL FIRM RNL ACQUIRED BY CANADIAN FIRM

RNL Designs, a large Denver-based architecture firm whose high profile projects include the Spire tower and the Renewable Energy Lab's Research Support Facility, has been acquired by giant Canadian firm Stantec. Stantec has a global network of some 400 locations and 22,000 workers worldwide. RNL has five offices and 134 employees in Denver, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi and Phoenix. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

RECORD TRAVEL EXPECTED FOR FOURTH OF JULY

July 4 falls on a Tuesday this year, which sets up the opportunity for four-day weekends and AAA Thursday said it expects 44.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Fourth of July holiday. That is a 2.9 percent increase over last year's record for the holiday. The majority, 37.5 million, will drive, but even so, more than 3.4 million will fly, which is up 4.6 percent from a year ago and marks the eighth straight year air traffic has increased for the holiday.

SMOKE AND HAZE IS FROM BRIAN HEAD FIRE

The smoke and haze covering western Colorado is coming from the wildfire in Garfield County…that is not Garfield County, Colorado, but Garfield County, Utah. The fire in Garfield and Iron counties in southwest Utah now covers more than 17,000 acres and was less than 5 percent contained by Thursday evening. The smoke is particularly heavy along the Colorado-Utah border.

ANOTHER REMINDER TO CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE

Officials with the Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit again advise homeowners to fireproof their properties. Colorado ranks No. 3 in the country in terms of having the most households at high or extreme risk from wildfires. Homeowners should pick up any dry grass, dead leaves and clean out their gutters and then look to create defensible space around their homes. Homeowners looking for more information on how to fireproof their homes should visit http://www.firewise.org.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED IN THE GRAND VALLEY

Officials with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Grand Junction Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management announced Thursday that Stage 1 fire restrictions are in effect in Mesa County. Stage 1 restrictions include no open burning or fireworks. Agricultural burns are allowed but only with a permit from the Sheriff's Office. There are no fire restrictions on Grand Mesa or Uncompahgre National Forest lands. The July 3 fireworks show at Bookcliff Country Club and the July 4 show at Lincoln Park are still allowed.

"STATE OF THE TOWN" IN TELLURIDE

Mayor Seth Murphy Tuesday presented the "State of the Town" address to the town council with the theme "Values in Action." The demonstrations of how the town has taken action in accordance with the values of its citizens included: construction of affordable housing, regional transportation improvements, additional parking, partnerships with local arts organizations and creating a policy regarding climate change.

30TH SEASON FOR BRAVO! VAIL KICKS OFF

Thursday night was the opening of the 30th season for Bravo! Vail and the resident Academy of St Martin in the Field performed the premier of Edgar Meyer's "Overture for Violin and Orchestra." It was one of the five premiers this summer. The first year of Bravo! in 1988 was all chamber music before the National Repertory Orchestra played twice in 1989, followed by the Rochester Philharmonic in 1989. This year, along with the London-based St Martin in the Field, Bravo! Vail will also have the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Bravo! Vail is the only music festival in the U.S. to have four resident orchestras.

USA TODAY IDENTIFIES THE PLACES YOU HAVE TO GO

USA TODAY lists its "50 State Bucket List Destinations" for some of our neighbors:

• Colorado: Dinosaur National Park and raft the Green and Yampa
• Arizona: Grand Canyon West for the Skywalk; Grand Canyon Caverns
• New Mexico: Downtown Tucumcari
• Utah: Fantasy Canyon, an hour south of Vernal Wyoming: Yellowstone National Park