D.C. air quality drops to "very unhealthy" levels after July 4th fireworks

Residents in and around Washington, D.C., experienced a significant decline in air quality on Sunday, prompting officials to warn of potential health risks from outdoor exposure. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments issued a "purple" air quality alert for the capital and parts of northern Virginia, indicating "very unhealthy" conditions.

This alert advises against all outdoor physical activity for sensitive groups, which include individuals with heart or lung diseases, older adults, pregnant people, children, teenagers, and outdoor workers. Everyone else was warned against prolonged outdoor activity. Suburban areas near D.C. received "orange" alerts, meaning conditions were unhealthy for sensitive groups, who were advised to limit the intensity and duration of outdoor activities.

Researchers linked the pollution surge to extensive fireworks displays held on Saturday night to celebrate July 4th. Washington, D.C., was ranked sixth globally for air pollution on Sunday by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company. Other major U.S. cities, including Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis, also saw temporary spikes in pollution levels following the holiday celebrations. Air quality is expected to improve in the coming days.