July 17, 2026
Molly McVety/Philly Voice
The air in Philadelphia is considered ‘very unhealthy to breathe' as smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota continues to spread across the region.
People in the Philadelphia area are advised to stay indoors Friday to avoid inhaling the smoky air that is blanketing much of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
A Code Purple air quality alert was issued for Pennsylvania, meaning the air as "very unhealthy to breathe" due to the smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada and Minnesota. Philadelphia suspended trash pickup for Friday and closed the city's pools and spraygrounds.
MORE: Wildfire smoke could stick around through Saturday, National Weather Service says
The air quality is better in New Jersey, but it is still poor and state officials have advised people to take precautions.
Air quality in the United States usually is measured on a fine particulate matter index of 0 to 500, standardized by the Environmental Protection Agency. Code Purple, which ranges from 201 to 300, means the air quality is "very unhealthy." Only Code Maroon, when the air quality is labeled "hazardous," is worse.
As of Friday morning, Philly's air quality level was at 229, according to AirNow. Air quality was worse in portions of Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware Counties, but better South Jersey, where levels mostly were under 200.
All people in Philadelphia are advised to stay indoors. For those who need to be outside, city health officials strong recommend they take breaks every 90 minutes and wear a N-95 or KN-95 mask.
"Our worsening air quality is a dangerous development," Health Commissioner Palak Raval-Nelson said Friday in a statement. "I strongly encourage all residents to take action to protect themselves by staying indoors unless they need to be outdoors."
To keep indoor air clean, health officials recommend closing all windows and doors and switching air conditioning units to a recirculate mode. People also are advised to avoid activities that create more particulate matter in the air, including smoking, vaping, lighting candles, using gas stoves, spraying aerosol products, frying or boiling food and vacuuming.
People with higher sensitivities to air quality, including those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and pregnant people, are advised take extra precautions. The health department's BreathePhilly website provides real-time air quality data from 76 sites in the city.
Temperatures today will be cooler than the last few days, and humidity will also be lower. Dry conditions will also prevail. Unfortunately, wildfire smoke from Canada will remain. pic.twitter.com/yRT0doNoFF
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) July 17, 2026
"I want the people of Philadelphia to know that our City government is taking every step necessary to protect your health," Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a statement. "If you do not need to be outside on Friday, please stay at home. Please check on your neighbors and any homebound resident who may need attention during this time. We will get through this significant weather-related health event together."
Paul Fitzsimmons, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, said the dangerous air quality may lessen during the afternoon on Friday, but likely will worsen at night.
Some improvement is expected Saturday, when severe thunderstorms are expected to move through the Philadelphia area, Fitzsimmons said.
"There hasn't been a significant change in the overall winds in the past day or two, so the general flow has continued to keep the smoke in the area," he said. "... Forecasting smoke gets challenging after 24 to 36 hours, but what people need to know is it's still going to be an issue for today and likely for tonight as well."
As of Friday morning, there are 893 active wildfires across Canada and approximately 23 burning in Minnesota.
