Baltimore closes outdoor pools as wildfire smoke triggers Code Purple air alert

Baltimore City closed outdoor public pools and canceled Recreation and Parks outdoor activities after the National Weather Service issued an Air Quality Alert for the Baltimore area as wildfire smoke spread over Maryland. The Maryland Department of the Environment tied the poor air to Canadian wildfires and warned that air quality would worsen, with some parts of the state reaching Code Red and western Maryland reaching Code Purple.

Health officials urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible and cut back on outdoor exertion while the smoke hung over the region. People in sensitive groups should move activities indoors and go inside if they start having symptoms. Doctors and health officials also advised drivers to use the air recirculation setting in vehicles if travel could not wait.

Baltimore County Recreation and Parks said the poor air quality affected all outdoor events and programs. For Baltimore families, that meant a quick change to summer plans at city pools, rec centers and parks just as the smoke plume moved south.

Baltimore City Recreation and Parks has previously kept neighborhood pools open during Code Red conditions, effective Friday, June 14, 2024, and extended hours at some sites when weather turned dangerous.