Smoke In Baltimore County Came From Virginia Fire, Officials Say

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Emergency personnel at the Baltimore County 911 Center reportedly received an influx of calls Sunday about smoke that was coming from a fire in another state. The U.S. Forest Service conducted a controlled burn near Marine Corps Base Quantico, according to the city of Fairfax, Virginia.

About 2,000 acres were to be burned during the exercise, which happens annually. The controlled burn is expected to last two days.

Smoke was coming from the border of Prince William, Fauquier and Stafford counties in Virginia, according to the National Weather Service. What looked like low-level clouds on the radar was actually a smoke plume, weather officials said.

"The Baltimore County 9-1-1 system is receiving an influx of calls for smoke in the area all around the county," according to the Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company. "The National Weather Service has confirmed that this smoke is from a controlled brush fire in Virginia."

Police in Prince William County, Virginia, asked residents there not to call 911 to report smoke in the area unless smoke or flames were coming from inside or near a structure.

Related: Smoke From Controlled Burn At Quantico Spreads Across Region

Individuals with respiratory illnesses or medical conditions that are aggravated by smoke should remain indoors until smoke conditions clear, officials in Virginia advised.

Virginia Patch editor Mark Hand contributed to this report.