Unusual and Exceptional Events

2016 Fort McMurray exceptional event. Wildfires near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, caused several days of elevated ozone over Connecticut, starting on May 25, 2016. Ozone data exclusion was requested and granted for four monitoring sites for May 25-26, 2016.

Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. The Fort McMurray wildfire continued to burn and produce thick smoke on Tuesday, May 6, 2016. Photo by: Terry Reith/CBC News via Reuters

February 2023 Particulate Events and Impacts to Air Quality. On the Morning of February 17, 2023, citizens across Connecticut reported a particulate residue on parked cars and an odor in the air. This storyboard presents an analysis of this unusual event and investigates possible causes.

Oklahoma. Powerful winds contributed to a dust storm that caused a 10-car pileup on February 14, 2023. Photo by: AccuWeather.

2023 Wildfire exceptional events. In 2023, beginning in April and extending into the summer, wildfire and prescribed fire smoke impacted the air quality in Connecticut. Several events were requested for exclusion as exceptional events for ozone, but EPA concurred with only a few sites for the June 30 - July 1, 2023 event.

British Columbia, Canada. Tatkin Lake wildfire produced heavy smoke on July 10, 2023. Photo by: BC Wildfire Service | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Last Updated on May 1, 2025