The Impact of Summer 2023 Wildfires on Local Air Quality in the Baltimore Washington Area.

As climate change induces warmer and drier conditions in many parts of the world, biomass burning from wildfires has increased in both frequency and intensity. Smoke from wildfires can impact air quality thousands of miles away and leave devastating impacts on human and environmental health. In 2023, more than 5 million hectares burned in the Quebec province, which impacted air quality across North America. The University of Maryland Cessna research aircraft conducted several airborne studies that captured air quality exceedance events in the Baltimore/Washington Area that were influenced by smoke events, such as the Quebec fires. Inferred aerosol optical properties from a 7 wavelength Aethalometer, Nephelometer, and Particle Soot Absorption Photometer, were used to determine the general aerosol size, shape, and scattering efficiency. Profiles of Brown Carbon, Black Carbon, NOx, CO, CO2, CH4 and other trace gases provide insight into wildfire characteristics and impacts on photochemical smog. Results suggest that the local air quality impact of transported smoke is highly variable. In some cases, the smoke plume contributes to poor air quality at the surface and in some cases the smoke remains aloft.