If the air outside smells a little off today, it is not your imagination. Smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires has pushed air quality in parts of Harford County into unhealthy territory Wednesday.
🔍 What We Know: Southeast Harford County is under a Code Orange air quality alert through midnight tonight. The Maryland Department of the Environment issued the alert for the northeast Maryland region, but specifically for sensitive groups, not necessarily everyone.
👥 Who Should Pay Attention: Children, the elderly, and anyone living with asthma, heart disease, or other lung conditions face the greatest risk. For those residents, even routine outdoor activity could aggravate symptoms today.
⚠️ Why It Matters: Canadian wildfire smoke has become a recurring summer problem for the mid-Atlantic region. The smoke carries fine particles that travel hundreds of miles and settle into the air we breathe. You cannot always see it, but your lungs can feel it.
🏃 Take Action: Health officials recommend avoiding strenuous outdoor exercise for the rest of the day. If you or someone in your household falls into a sensitive group, keep activity indoors until the alert lifts at midnight.
🔭 What’s Next: The alert expires at midnight tonight.