Maryland’s air quality remains unhealthy as wildfire smoke thins, severe storms roll in

Maryland’s air quality currently remains unhealthy for many people Saturday even as smoke from Canadian wildfires begins to thin, with severe thunderstorms expected to bring damaging winds, large hail and the possibility of a tornado later in the day.

The skies started off hazy early Saturday morning, but forecasters at the Maryland Department of Environment said the smoke will start “to wane by late morning with sunlight and increasing winds.” Most of the state will be under a Code Orange alert on Saturday, meaning the air quality may still be unhealthy for sensitive groups including children, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.

Those in Southern Maryland will have slightly better air quality conditions on Saturday, according to the state’s forecasts.

Rain is expected throughout the afternoon, and thunderstorms are likely between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday in Baltimore, according to the National Weather Service, which could help dissipate some of the smoke left in the air. The storms could bring damaging winds, large hail and even a tornado.

By Sunday, the state is will likely be under a Code Yellow, or moderate, air quality alert, though the state’s forecasts warn that “the smoke may again be noticeable” as another wave enters into the region.

While there may be pockets of relief at times, the smoky conditions won’t be gone anytime soon as the fires continue to burn largely unchecked, cautioned Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service based in Maryland.

Wildfires are burning in the Ontario area of Canada as well as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, which U.S. officials have closed as they fight to put out the blazes.

“The source of the smoke is going to continue on for certainly a week, probably,” Oravec said. “It’s just going to depend upon which way the wind’s blowing as to where the smoke is going to affect the most.”

Air quality alerts peaked on Friday after days of smoke began to move from Canada, through the Midwest and toward Maryland. State officials told Marylanders to stay inside as much as possible as air quality became unhealthy for everyone in the state. It was the worst air quality event since June 2023, when wildfire smoke from Canada engulfed the region for six days.

Public pools in Baltimore were closed on Friday but reopened on Saturday. City employees who had to work outside on Friday were given masks and required to take breaks.

How to protect yourself

Health experts and the Maryland Department of Environment recommends staying inside as much as possible during stretches of poor air quality.

Whether you’re in your car or home, make sure you air conditioning is set to recirculate the air rather than pull from the outdoors. State officials recommend using a N95 or KN95 mask, but Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said masks will not protect against the “very refined” particles that have traveled from Canada.

You can see the current air quality on the state’s forecasting site or through an interactive map operated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.