An air quality alert was issued for Miami-Dade County for “lingering smoke trapped close to the ground,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
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The alert is in effect until 3 p.m. Thursday. The NWS said the air quality was reduced due to light winds and lingering smoke.
Those “unusually sensitive to particle pollution” should consider reducing their activity level or shortening the amount of time outdoors until air quality improves.
Two fires were burning recently in western Miami-Dade. The largest is the Radio Tower fire, which had burned 700 acres and was 95% contained as of Wednesday, according to the Florida Forest Service. A smaller fire, the Trail fire, burned about 25 acres at last update early last week.
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You can monitor the air quality in your area in real-time using the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow webpage.
An Air Quality Alert (AQA) has been issued for Miami-Dade County until 3PM this afternoon.
If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shortening the amount of time you are outdoors until Air Quality improves. pic.twitter.com/s6RdPJcMMO
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— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) August 20, 2026
Tips for staying safe amid smoky conditions
Reduce how much smoke you inhale by:
- wearing a mask, such as N95
- avoiding strenuous activities such as mowing the lawn or going for a run
- limiting time outdoors, and take frequent breaks if you must
- keeping windows closed, and setting air conditioning systems to recirculate indoor air
If you must drive through smoke or haze, authorities suggest you:
- use extra caution
- increase your following distance
- use low-beam headlights
- keep windows closed, and set air conditioning systems to recirculate indoor air