The smoke from wildfires in Canada returned to the Baltimorea area this week, and meteorologist Matthew Cappucci said on Twitter that the smoke will be on-and-off throughout the summer, and likely into October.
Swim teams in the area have been practicing throughout the week despite the bad air quality, with Swan Lake Swim Club, Meadowbrook Swim Club, and Forest Hill Swim & Tennis Club holding swim practice Thursday morning.
“Safety is always our first priority,” said Forest Hill club manager Conrad Brookhart.
Brookhart said that each day, the swim coach will monitor the expected weather, and alert everyone if there will be practice that day, a process that they follow whether it’s because of air quality or other weather factors.
“We always base it day to day,” Brookhart said.
To Brookhart’s knowledge, practice was not canceled earlier in June when smoke first filled the Maryland sky.
Because of the air quality, Brookhart said employees have the option not to work, with no consequences, if they feel work conditions aren’t safe.
So far, each employee has shown up, and Brookhart has not noticed any differences in the number of people going to the pool.
“Everything is as normal as possible,” he said.
Much of Maryland was under a code red for air quality on Thursday, meaning the air is unhealthy for all groups. Friday was more of the same for Maryland, with the air quality index reaching at over 170.
By Friday afternoon, air quality had improved somewhat with Baltimore under a code orange for air quality, meaning the air remains unhealthy to breathe for sensitive groups, including older adults, youth, and people with respiratory illnesses.
