Wildfire Smoke Chokes Prince George's, Prompting Building Closures

The county is closing numerous buildings and aquatic centers, canceling movie night, shuttering golf courses and more due to wildfire smoke.

By Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch Staff

Jul 17, 2026 1:31 pm EDT | Updated Jul 17, 2026 4:13 pm EDT

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The hazardous air quality conditions affection most of Maryland has prompted the Prince George's County Department of the Environment to close several waste and recycling facilities early Friday.

The following facilities will close at 2 p.m. Friday:

Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill, Upper Marlboro
Brown Station Road Residential Drop-Off Convenience Center, Upper Marlboro
Missouri Avenue Residential Drop-Off Convenience Center, Brandywine
Organics Compost Facility, Upper Marlboro

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County, also has temporarily closed certain outdoor facilities and suspended some outdoor operations, too.

The following facilities, programs, and events are canceled, closed, or modified for Friday due to poor air quality:

All outdoor aquatic facilities and splash parks – Closed
All athletic fields and artificial turf fields – Closed
All golf courses – Closed at 1 p.m.
Trap & Skeet Center – Closed at 1 p.m.
"Screen on the Green" at Riversdale House Museum – Rescheduled to Friday, July 24
Wonderful World of Wizards at Watkins Regional Park – Closing at 3 p.m.
Youth Safe Summer Soccer League games at Woodmore Town Centre Park and Walker Mill Regional Park – Canceled
Summer Movie Night and Come Out and Play at Accokeek Neighborhood Park – Canceled

All outdoor Greenbelt Recreation activities are suspended and the outdoor pool will remain closed until conditions improve. All scheduled recreation activities will be modified to keep participants remain indoors, the city stated.

Friday's early closures follow the National Weather Service's issuance of a Code Purple Air Quality Alert for the Washington, D.C., and Maryland region due to widespread wildfire smoke coming out of Canada.

A Code Purple Air Quality Alert indicates that air pollution has "reached very unhealthy levels and poses a serious health risk. Under these conditions, everyone, not just sensitive groups, is likely to experience adverse health effects."