Smoke from the Pains Bay Wildfire in eastern North Carolina has been modeled to reach the D.C.-area. According to the North Carolina Division of Forestry, smoke from the fire, which has been burning since May 5 from a lightning strike, could reach as far north as Baltimore and Wilmington. Officials estimate that the fire has spread to an estimated 45,000 acres stretching north and west across Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the Dare Bombing Range owned by the US Department of Defense.

At the moment, most of the dense smoke is confined to areas surrounding US Hwy 264 near the fire and US Hwy 64 north of the fire.