Delaware
As Wildfires in Canada rage on, smoke breaches US border. Will Delaware see wildfire smoke?
2024 wildfire season forecast
Bad air quality and low visibility could once again be a concern as wildfires ramp up in the United States and Canada.
A string of worsening Canadian wildfires over the weekend has resulted in smoke drifting into the United States.
Here’s what you need to know about the situation and if wildfire smoke will impact Delaware.
Canadian wildfires
Canada’s wildfire season is underway, with several fires increasing in intensity and causing evacuations since last week.
ABC News reports over 100 active wildfires burning in Canada, with 91 of them located in British Columbia and Alberta provinces and officials labeling 40 of the 140 active fires as “out of control.” As the wildfires progress, areas most at risk continue to be evacuated.
Canadian wildfire smoke officially rolled into the U.S. over the weekend, with states from Montana to Wisconsin getting a whiff. Heavy smoke in Minnesota resulted in the state’s first air quality alert of 2024 being issued on May 12, remaining in place through May 13. Minnesota’s air quality index has fluctuated between “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy” since the wildfire smoke breached its borders.
Officials expect Minnesota’s smoke to be “much weaker” on Monday, but Nebraska is expected to see hazy skies during the evening.
By sunrise on Monday, the wildfire smoke in the U.S. will likely be much weaker, with medium levels reaching from Wisconsin to southern Minnesota.
Air quality report: ‘Delaware still has work to do’: 2024 air quality report highlights air pollution concerns
Is Delaware at risk?
USA Today’s wildfire smoke map tracks wildfire incidents, warnings and smoke impacts across the U.S.
As of 9 a.m. on May 13, thick density smoke from Canada extending south into the northern U.S. could still be seen in Montana, the Dakotas and Minnesota. The smoke also moved south into the central U.S., where it mixed with smoke from fire activity and seasonal burning in the country. The overall large smoke engulfing central and eastern U.S. could be seen moving eastward into the Atlantic Ocean.
As for Delaware, the map shows light density smoke enveloping the region, with medium density smoke in some of the southernmost parts of Delaware.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Air Quality Forecast reports “good” air quality in Delaware on Monday, a value from 0 to 50, adding that the air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no risk. Monday’s ozone levels are at a value of 44 and a PM2.5 of 39. PM 2.5 is defined as fine, inhalable particles or droplets in the air with diameters of 2.5 micrometers and smaller.
According to DNREC, light to moderate southerly winds will gradually transport pollutants into Delaware on Monday. Partly to mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s will aid ozone production, but regional pollutant carryover will be low, resulting in Air Quality Index levels that are high for ozone and good for PM2.5. The AQI determines how clean or polluted air is and what associated health effects might be a concern.
By Tuesday, moderate and gusty southerly winds will enhance dispersion and increasing clouds will hinder ozone production, resulting in high AQI levels for ozone and good AQI levels for PM2.5. DNREC expects Tuesday’s ozone value to be at 40 and PM2.5 value to be at 50, both in the “good” zone.
Wednesday is also expected to have good AQI levels for both ozone and PM2.5, with cloudy skies and periods of rain limiting ozone development and moderate easterly winds transporting clean air into Delaware.
Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
Date Posted: Saturday, June 20th, 2026
The Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit (SOAR) is issuing the following public notifications of homeless and wanted sex offenders.
Wanted Sex Offenders
SOAR is currently looking for the following wanted sex offenders after they either failed to register or re-register at their current address. If anyone knows the location of these individuals, please call (302) 739-5882. Information may also be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333. The individuals shown represent only a portion of the current wanted sex offenders. Please see the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website for the complete list.
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Homeless Sex Offenders
The following individuals are not wanted for failing to register or re-register at their current address. This is a homeless sex offender public notification. If you have information that the listed individuals are occupying a residence, please call (302) 739-5882. Information may also be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333. The individuals shown are those recently reported homeless and represent only a portion of the current homeless sex offenders. Please see the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website for the complete list.
Click on the image to see the complete profile
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What is Delaware’s Kalmar Nyckel ship?
Here’s the history of Delaware’s Kalmar Nyckel ship explained in 36 seconds.
The Delaware history column features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.
100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 21, 1926
Jealous man kills woman, wounds boy
Oliver K. Higgins, aged 33 years, of Washington Street, in a fit of jealousy late Saturday night, is alleged to have pumped seven bullets from an automatic revolver into Mrs. Edna M. Martin, 40 years old, of Spruce Street, killing her.
Charles Brown, the 15-year-old of Mrs. Gladys Brown, was shot in the jaw and shoulder by Higgins but will recover. Mrs. Brown, also of the Spruce Street address, is the sister of the slain woman. …
Mrs. Martin, who was employed by the Home Baking Company on Market Street, left the store at a late hour Saturday night, accompanied by Paul A. Crawford of Marshallton and went home. They found Mrs. Brown sitting in the dining room with Julius K. Bowman of Newport.
The women and men sat around the table for a short time. At 11:45 o’clock, hearing someone taking out a window screen in the parlor, Mrs. Brown went to the hall to see what caused the noise.
She saw Higgins step in the window with a gun in his hand. She opened the door and ran off the porch.
Higgins failed to see Mrs. Brown and continued to the dining room where Mrs. Martin and the two men were sitting. He leveled the revolver at their heads and said, “Stick your hands up everybody, and I don’t mean maybe.”
Higgins then asked for Mrs. Brown. Learning she had gone out the front door, he ran after her, passing her as she crouched behind a hedge a few feet from the doorway. He returned to the dining room, but the men had fled. He then turned to Mrs. Martin and fired as she ran. …
Leaving the dead woman at the head of the steps, Higgins rushed in the back room in search of Mrs. Brown. Charles Brown, who had been sleeping, awoke because of the noise. …
Hearing the boy going down the stairs, Higgins stepped to the stair rail and shot him twice. …
Mrs. Brown went to the drug store of Otto H. Miller at 22nd and Pine streets to telephone police. …
Officers surrounded the Brown house … and arrested Higgins. …
Higgins met Mrs. Brown several months ago when he was in the employ of the United Cigar Store, and Mrs. Brown was working nearby. He is said to have become jealous over the attention of other men to Mrs. Brown, who is divorced. She asked him to stop annoying her and appealed to police.
After Higgins threatened Mrs. Brown with a gun, she told her employer who called the United Cigar Company and made a complaint to the manager. Shortly after this, Higgins was discharged.
50 years ago, The Morning News, June 23, 1976
Bill would jail parents of delinquent kids
A tough measure that provides for jailing the parents of delinquent children or requiring them to spend weekends with delinquents at juvenile detention centers has been introduced in the Delaware Senate.
The bill is the brainchild of the community-based services staff of the juvenile corrections bureau.
“This gives a way to coax them (the parents),” said John J. Mulvena, juvenile corrections chief. “If not to coax them, to require them. If not require them, jail them.”
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Herman Holloway Sr., D-Wilmington.
Mulvena said it is “directed at parents who are reluctant to participate in the responsible supervision of their children.”
He said due to “stubbornness, ignorance or neglect,” his staff often ends up acting as “mother, father, aunt, uncle or surrogate” for children “while the parents get off scot-free.”
20 years ago, The News Journal, June 26, 2006
Storms wallop Sussex with 6-8 inches of rain
Jack English knew he was in trouble early Sunday morning.
He kept waking up to the sound of his Seaford basement sump pump trying to keep up with the downpour outside….
At first, he found a few inches of water on his basement floor. Then, all of a sudden, his backyard was completely flooded and the rising water blew out his basement window. …
“I was evacuated by the fire department,” he said. …
In six to eight hours, 7 inches fell in Bridgeville, more than 8 inches in Georgetown and nearly 6 inches in Laurel….
The Seaford Fire Company had its first sign of trouble at 7:30 a.m., when a crew responded to a person trapped in a car by rising water. As the morning went on, rescue crews turned to boats.
An estimated 300 people were evacuated from homes at three mobile home parks southeast of Blades.
Meanwhile, in Seaford, concern grew as water levels rose in the Nanticoke River and Williams Pond. As a precaution, 110 residents of Lifecare at Lofland Park rehabilitation center were evacuated to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. …
At the Seaford Walmart, a team of swift water rescuers from Salisbury, Maryland helped people trapped in the parking lot, with water up to the top of some cars. …
Bridges at Craigs Mill Road and Woodland Road washed out. …
The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville. About 30 people were staying there Sunday night.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
DELAWARE COUNTY, Ind. — All lanes closed on I-69 in the southbound direction in Delaware County on Friday morning.
Authorities with the Indiana State Police were dispatched to the 240.5 mile marker on a report of a crash involving a semi at approximately 8:08 a.m.
All lanes are now open.
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