Massachusetts camps indoors as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads

In Massachusetts, summer camps like Summer’s Edge Day Camp and the Girl Scouts are shifting outdoor activities indoors or rearranging spaces as smoke from Canadian wildfires reduces air quality, with programs keeping families updated through regular alerts. This adaptive approach reflects a broader trend in camps nationwide to treat air quality monitoring as routine planning for summer activities. Abroad, Algeria has suspended tent use in vacation centers during extreme heat, replacing accommodations to protect beneficiaries and ensuring safety through coordinated alternative housing. Across the United States, camps are increasingly prioritizing extreme-weather planning as recent years have seen record heat and stronger storms, prompting more robust safety measures. Accrediting bodies require camps to have contingency plans for wildfires and floods, following high-profile flood disasters that raised parental concerns about safety. Overall, camps are responding to a changing climate with upgraded facilities, flexible layouts, and coordinated safety protocols to safeguard outdoor activity and camper well-being.