Harrisburg, PA – Air quality is expected to improve across most of Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as wildfire smoke continues to move out of the region. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for particulate matter (PM2.5) for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, while the rest of the Commonwealth is expected to remain in the Code Yellow (moderate) range.
Conditions have improved since Friday, when much of Pennsylvania experienced Code Purple and Code Red air quality alerts due to wildfire smoke from Canada and the northern U.S. As the smoke moves out of the region Friday evening into Saturday, rain and thunderstorms are expected to help reduce PM2.5 concentrations across much of the Commonwealth. Southeastern Pennsylvania is expected to see slower improvement because rain is forecast to arrive later, resulting in a Code Orange forecast for Saturday.
Residents are strongly encouraged to check airnow.gov for current air quality conditions in their area, as conditions may change throughout the day. Local conditions may be better or worse than the 24-hour forecast, and residents should make decisions based on the air quality where they are.
During Code Orange Air Quality Alerts, residents should avoid long or intense outdoor activities, and sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents, and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid all outdoor activities. All residents are encouraged to move activities indoors.
Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Alert areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
- Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment
- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green means good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all. An Air Quality Alert is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher.
For more information about air quality, visit DEP’s Air Quality Partnership Home Page and EPA’s AirNow.
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