Wildfires burning in large swaths of Canada could send a veil of smoke over the Baltimore region Tuesday, impacting visibility, though air quality is not expected to diminish.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the country’s wildfire response nonprofit, there were nearly 200 active fires in Canada Monday, 101 of which were burning “out of control.”

The smoke could lead to hazy skies and warmer temperatures in the Baltimore region Tuesday, according to the Baltimore/Washington office of the National Weather Service.

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The Canadian wildfire smoke will linger over Baltimore between Tuesday and Wednesday, and it’ll likely be the worst around Tuesday afternoon, according to Anna Stuck, a National Weather Service meteorologist. It could impact visibility and create hazy conditions.

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Because the smoke is expected to be elevated in the atmosphere, Stuck said she did not expect surface-level air quality to be impacted.

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Jay Apperson, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of the Environment, said the state also does not expect air quality to be negatively affected.

Air Quality Index Meanings

The Air Quality Index is determined by the level of air pollution in an area and the health concerns related to it, according to AirNow.gov.

The AQI is grouped into one of six color-coded categories given a numerical value:

  • 0-50, Green/Good: Air quality is satisfactory.
  • 51-100, Yellow/Moderate: Air quality is acceptable.
  • 101-150, Orange/Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: While the general public is less affected, some with preexisting health conditions and children are at risk for health concerns.
  • 151-200, Red/Unhealthy: Health effects are possible for both the general public and those in sensitive groups.
  • 201-300, Purple/Very Unhealthy: Health risks intensified for all.
  • 301 and higher, Maroon/Hazardous: Everyone is likely to be affected.

Stuck said she expected most of the state of Maryland to experience moderate air quality on Tuesday.

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If any part of the region’s air quality worsens to become unhealthy, an alert would be sent out, Stuck said. That way, those at risk, such as children and people with asthma and heart or lung disease, will know to avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed Baltimore for several days in 2023, causing a serious drop in air quality and leading to canceled events and eerie-looking skies. Those conditions are not in this week’s forecast.

Marylanders can monitor their AQI and other forecasts and conditions here.