State issues Air Quality Alert for Saturday
July 17, 2026 | By Waterbury RoundaboutThe Vermont Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation have issued an air quality alert for Saturday, July 18, beginning at 6 a.m. and running through 11 p.m. for all counties in Vermont due to wildfire smoke from Canada.
Smoke on Saturday is expected to elevate concentrations of fine particulate matter pollution to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (code orange) on the Air Quality Index in Vermont.
U.S. Air Quality Index map
Note that smoke concentrations may occur in the unhealthy range on an hourly basis for many locations in the state, especially in the late morning through afternoon hours. Wildfire smoke can cause a hazy or milky appearance in the sky and may be noticeable by smell at times.
Who needs to be concerned
Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, pregnant people, and outdoor workers, as well as people who spend a lot of time outdoors and people experiencing homelessness.
It is possible for anyone to experience symptoms of exposure, such as scratchy eyes or throat, headache, or coughing. These are signs to take it easy or move indoors.
Should that happen, reduce time outdoors and/or take more breaks. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
The air quality forecast will be updated on Saturday afternoon for conditions expected on Sunday.
More information
To stay safe and informed, here are some links to resources:
See up-to-date air quality forecasts and current air pollution levels in Vermont at AirNow.gov.
Limit exposure to air pollution. healthvermont.gov/AirQuality
Sign up for air quality alerts at VT-ALERT. Users will get an alert when there is poor air quality that covers guidance on protecting oneself during times of poor air quality. Existing VTAlert users may need to log in to their accounts to modify their settings to receive air quality alerts. (Find Air Quality alerts under Subscriptions, Health Alerts.)
EnviroFlash for daily air quality forecasts and alerts.
Learn more: