Washington DC area under Code Purple air quality alert due to wildfire smoke from Canada

The Washington DC area was placed under a Code Purple (very unhealthy) air quality alert Friday as wildfire smoke from Canada blanketed the region.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments upgraded the alert from Code Red to Code Purple, warning in an X post Friday morning that the current air quality is “very unhealthy air for everyone."

It added that “sensitive groups are advised to avoid all physical activity outdoors," and to reschedule to a time when air quality has improved. It advised everyone else to “avoid long or intense activities.”

Monitoring site IQAir ranked the DC area among the most polluted major cities in the world Friday morning, behind only Detroit and Chicago.

Officials urged residents to limit outdoor activities and wear N95 masks if they must go outside, particularly people with asthma, heart or lung conditions, children and older adults.

Forecasters said smoky conditions are expected to linger through Friday night before gradually improving over the weekend.