Canadian wildfires pose recurring threat to DC, Maryland, Virginia air quality
Right now, wildfires are burning across Canada, and over the course of the summer, that could be problematic for the District, Maryland, and Virginia.
"You’re probably going to be in for much of the same, maybe a little bit more," said New York State Climatologist Mark Wysocki, referring to smoky conditions felt in the region last summer.
At the time, the National Zoo temporarily closed, many kids were kept inside, and the Nationals – along with other Major League Baseball teams – postponed games.
"It hit me right from the moment I walked out the door this morning," Patrick Picard told FOX 5 last June.
Canadian wildfires bring smoky haze to DC region Monday; hot, humid temperatures in the 90s
Smoke blowing in from Canadian wildfires is expected to create hazy conditions across the D.C. region Monday as temperatures climb into the 90s.
Flash forward to 2024 and Wysocki explained, "The problem in western Canada has only gotten worse. They’ve really had a bad winter. It was warm and dry."
He said the overall impact on the D.C. region this summer will largely depend on the source region of the fires, with Ontario being a particularly important place to watch.
Regardless though, Wysocki said it’s a problem everyone will continue to face for quite some time.
"We better start waking up here," he explained, "and we better start planning for this to be more of a common event for us here; not only in the United States but around the world."