Weather

NOW: County encouraging people to stay inside amid ‘Code Purple’ air quality from wildfire smoke

By ARLnow.com
Tree branches and green leaves frame a hazy backyard with a white house roof in the lower left corner.
Silhouetted soldiers raise a flag atop a rocky monument; distant Washington Monument visible on the horizon; visitors stand at the base on a lawn.
Suburban neighborhood with dense trees in the foreground and a hazy city skyline on the horizon.
Aerial view of a long central avenue in a urban park, lined with trees, leading to a large beige monument, with a river and distant city skyline in the background.
Bird's-eye view of an urban intersection with crosswalks, bike lane markings, traffic signals, and modern buildings.
Circular air quality gauge reading Very Unhealthy; PM2.5 237, 9 AM EDT Jul 17
1/6

Air quality in Arlington and the D.C. area has reached “very unhealthy” levels amid the incursion of northern wildfire smoke.

The thick, smoky haze is expected to remain in place for much of the day, forecasters say, before clearing Saturday. It has prompted the earlier Code Red air alert to be upgraded to a Code Purple.

945 AM EDT Fri Jul 17 2026

…AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR FRIDAY JULY 17 2026…

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Code PURPLE Air Quality Alert Friday for Northern Virginia.

A Code Purple Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region are very unhealthy for the general population. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors.

For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles visit the web site Virginia DEQ air quality web site at www.deq.virginia.gov

As of 9:30 a.m. the haze was so thick that the Rosslyn skyline was barely visible on the Trust for the National Mall’s Washington Monument webcam.

The county and other authorities are urging people to stay indoors as much as possible today due to the unhealthy air.

“The current air quality is at Code Purple levels in Arlington,” said an Arlington Alert message earlier this morning. Conditions are very unhealthy for everyone. Limit time outdoors. Visit libraries/community centers for free places to stay indoors. Conditions may deteriorate further so stay aware.”

Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation has moved all activities, including summer camps, inside today due to the smoke.

 

About the Author

  • Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. The ARLnow staff byline is used for the Morning Notes and reporting done by an editor or other member of our full-time staff.