It wasn’t purple, but it was haze that was on the minds of residents of the Baltimore region as they went about Saturday errands.
The thick, white smoky haze that increased north and east of the city was primarily the result of wildland fires in New Jersey and Canada, according to the Baltimore County Fire Department, which alerted residents to the cause and also sought to ease the alarm.
“There is no need to call 911 for smoke in the area unless there is a source of its location,” fire department officials said in a post to X in the early afternoon.
A Code Orange air quality alert is in effect until midnight. The alert calls for those with respiratory and heart conditions, as well as children and seniors, to limit outdoor activity.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been fighting a 5,000-acre wildfire that is about 60% contained, officials said.
Baltimore County is experiencing hazy conditions from the wildland fires in New Jersey and Canada. Code Orange Air Quality Alert until midnight.
Additional details: https://t.co/GQcKsyOr1J pic.twitter.com/FRtlGH20Ho
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) June 14, 2025