Code Purple air quality alert issued for Montgomery County as wildfire smoke blankets region

Outdoor recreation activities canceled or moved indoors as officials urge residents to stay inside

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July 17, 2026 11:32 a.m. | Updated: July 17, 2026 11:35 a.m.

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Montgomery County residents are being urged to limit time outdoors Friday as smoke from Canada and northern U.S. wildfires pushes air quality into the Code Purple category, prompting state and local officials to warn that the air is unhealthy for everyone, not just sensitive groups.

The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security posted on X Friday at 11 a.m. that “URGENT: Air quality here is now CODE PURPLE! it’s unhealthy for everyone. Sensitive people should avoid ALL outdoor activity.”

Montgomery County Recreation announced on X that, because of worsening air quality, all outdoor recreation activities beginning at 11 a.m. or later on Friday will be canceled or moved indoors.

The City of Gaithersburg canceled all outdoor Parks & Recreation activities Friday, according to the city’s websute. They also closed the Gaithersburg Water Park, an interactive water feature in Olde Towne, along with a skate park and miniature golf course for the day.

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The weather is also affecting other weekend events. Montgomery Parks announced that Saturday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated South Germantown Adventure Playground has been postponed due to the forecast for potential inclement weather. The event has been rescheduled for Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the playground in South Germantown Recreational Park.

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) said smoke from wildfires burning across Canada and the northern United States moved into the region behind a cold front overnight. Weak winds are expected to keep the smoke over Maryland throughout Friday, resulting in unhealthy air quality statewide because of elevated levels of fine particle pollution. 

Ozone levels could also remain elevated in urban areas, including Montgomery County, if enough sunlight penetrates the smoky skies, creating a combination of unhealthy ozone and particle pollution. According to MDE, the last wildfire smoke event of similar magnitude to affect Maryland occurred in 2023.

State health officials recommend that everyone limit time outdoors and avoid prolonged or strenuous activity until air quality improves. Those most vulnerable—including young children, older adults, pregnant women, people with asthma, COPD or heart disease, and anyone who works outdoors—should avoid outdoor exertion altogether.

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Residents are also encouraged to:

• Keep windows and doors closed and run air conditioning on recirculate, if available.
• Use a portable air purifier, if possible.
• Postpone outdoor exercise, youth sports and other physical activities.
• Wear a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask if they must spend time outdoors.

Officials say people should watch for symptoms including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and unusual fatigue. Anyone experiencing severe breathing difficulty or chest pain should seek immediate medical attention.

The poor air quality is expected to persist into Saturday. While thunderstorms could help clear some of the smoke, MDE said the haze is otherwise expected to linger through much of the weekend. Another round of wildfire smoke is possible Sunday as northerly winds return behind the storm system, though no additional alerts have been issued.

Residents can monitor current air quality conditions through AirNow.gov or the Maryland Department of the Environment’s air quality website.

This is a developing story that may be updated as more information becomes available.  

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine