Canadian wildfire smoke likely to return to the Triad Wednesday, forecasters say

Forsyth County could see another few days of suboptimal air quality this week, due again to the effects of wildfires in Canada.

The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection is forecasting Code Yellow air quality on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The level indicates air pollution of moderate concern that could be risky to the most sensitive groups, such as people with serious health conditions. The forecast says the region could also see Code Orange levels briefly on Wednesday morning. 

When wildfire smoke from Canada first started reaching the Triad earlier this month, pollution climbed all the way into the red zone at certain points. 

“We have a lot of Code Yellow days every year," says Minor Barnette, director of the county's Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection. "What we get more concerned about is when we see Code Orange, and then we really get concerned when we see Code Red in a forecast.” 

Pollution from the Weaver Fertilizer Plant fire last year also created similarly hazardous air quality conditions in Forsyth County. But Barnette says the threat wasn’t as widespread. 

“During Weaver, the area of impact was much more limited in size, but the level of impact was much greater," says Barnette. "It was affecting fewer people, but it was extremely, extremely high.”

Barnette says poor air quality days are more common in the summer when stagnant air can trap pollution, even in the absence of extraordinary events like fires.