Caribou, Maine – A new surge of wildfire smoke drifting in from Western Canada is clouding skies over northern Maine and triggering health alerts through 11 p.m. Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service in Caribou, satellite imagery confirms another plume of thick smoke is pushing in from the northwest. While northern Maine briefly saw reduced haze earlier Sunday, models now show deepening smoke layers this afternoon, especially in areas like Caribou, Fort Kent, and Houlton.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has issued an Air Quality Alert for all of northern Maine. Air quality levels are currently categorized as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” in the Northern and Western Mountain regions, while the rest of the state is reporting “Moderate” particle pollution.
Residents with asthma, heart disease, or other respiratory conditions are urged to stay indoors, limit strenuous outdoor activity, and monitor symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath. Officials recommend using air purifiers and keeping windows closed until conditions improve.
Though the heaviest impacts are expected to ease overnight, brief periods of poor visibility and lingering smoke odors may persist into Monday morning. Updates will be issued if air quality worsens across additional counties.
