Air quality in Baltimore area improves following blanketing Canadian wildfire smoke
BALTIMORE -- Much of the smoke that blanketed Maryland is gone, and the air quality has far fewer particulates from Canadian wildfire smoke.
Update: Our scientists have revised today's air quality forecast to Moderate (Yellow) for Western, Southern, and Central Maryland as wildfire smoke has continued to dissipate and air quality has improved.
— MD Environment (@MDEnvironment) June 9, 2023
Many enjoyed the clearer skies at the Inner Harbor Friday afternoon.
What a difference a day makes at the Inner Harbor where air quality is much better from the Canadian wildfire smoke; it remains unhealthy on the Eastern Shore and sensitive groups should still take precautions. @wjz pic.twitter.com/jZkHsbQxoZ
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 9, 2023
Just 24 hours earlier, you could see the smoky haze over the iconic Domino Sugar sign.
A smoky haze over the iconic Domino sign in Baltimore as hazardous air quality continues from Canadian wildfires @wjz pic.twitter.com/LtaqejPsej
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 8, 2023
The Maryland Department of the Environment revised air quality to moderate—yellow—meaning it's safe to be outside for all but sensitive groups, but the Eastern Shore remains orange, which is still unhealthy.
"Keep in mind the air quality impacts are day to day and hour to hour and you can see dramatic swings in the level of air pollution outside," Peter DeCarlo, an air quality expert and associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, said. "Today, especially in comparison to the last few days, is pretty good."
The poor air quality is particularly hard for those in Baltimore where the city's health department says almost 14% of adults have asthma, as do 33% of high school students. emergency room visits for asthma in Baltimore City are the highest in the state.
"Spikes in air pollution, can provoke asthma attacks or COPD exacerbations, and it's also been linked to heart attacks and the worsening of heart failure," Meredith McCormack, an associate director of pulmonary and critical care medicine in the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, said.
Experts fear situations like this could become more common.
"In the longer term, I think we should be thinking of this in the context of climate," DeCarlo said. "Is this the new normal?"