Environment

1. Blog   |   Health & Nutrition

2. Jul 31, 2026

Haze recently obscured the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument as smoke from more than a hundred Canadian wildfires triggered a Code Purple air quality alert—“unhealthy for everyone”—across the District, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The District closed outdoor pools and spray parks; Fairfax County canceled outdoor recess and team practices. A familiar summer ritual—a preview of what climate scientists say is becoming the new normal.