That smoke smell is not a Father's Day barbecue you're missing. The smoke, haze and ash permeating the Philadelphia region on Saturday morning are due to a wildfire burning in New Jersey's Wharton State Forest.

As of 11 a.m., winds were dissipating the smoke, but poor air quality readings were still present in Delaware and parts outside of Philadelphia.

for Saturday due to possible particle pollution, and lesser Code Orange air quality alerts have been issued by the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Light winds out of the east will continue spreading smoke and particulates as cloud cover acts like a lid to trap these pollutants near the surface, our NEXT Weather team reported Saturday.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control also issued a Code Orange air quality alert for Sunday, effective throughout the entire state.

Spike in fire department calls due to wildfire smoke

Reports of a smoky smell were coming across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware on Friday night, and in many cases, local fire departments were called out to investigate and make sure nothing was burning locally.

Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, firefighters were among those called out.

"It is believed that this is being caused by the large wildfire burning in New Jersey being sent our way with tonight's wind and low cloud cover," Upper Darby Professional Firefighters said on Facebook.

In Gloucester County, New Jersey, closer to the site of the fire, the county's emergency management team estimated the smell of smoke could linger for as long as three days.

"If you see or smell smoke near your home, [the wildfire] may likely be the cause," Gloucester County Emergency Management said.

In Clementon, Camden County, the borough Office of Emergency Management shared that residents reported ash was falling in some areas.

The Hockessin, Delaware Fire Company said "heavy smoke and a strong burning odor" were impacting New Castle County this morning. 

Also in the First State,  canceled all outdoor events due to air quality concerns. Indoor sports continued, and tennis matches were moved inside to get athletes away from the smoky conditions.

Code Red, Code Orange air quality alerts explained

Under a Code Red alert, air quality can reach levels considered unhealthy for the general public, with the potential for more serious health effects for people with health issues like asthma or other lung conditions.

In a Code Orange, the air may be unhealthy for sensitive groups with those previously mentioned conditions. Seniors, young children and pregnant women are also considered sensitive groups.

Keep an eye on air quality monitors like Airnow.gov to see conditions in your area.

Philadelphia air quality impacted by smoke

The smoke and ash were impacting the air quality readings across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware on Friday night and into Saturday.

Conditions were at their worst overnight but began improving as the morning went on, and winds dissipated the smoke. Readings from Airnow.gov showed moderate air quality in Philadelphia but "unhealthy" air in Wilmington, Delaware. Out in Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the air quality was considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Overnight, , a federal website tracking air quality conditions, showed a swath of the region with "hazardous" air. This is the most serious rating on the air quality index for ozone and particle pollution. The rating was due to high levels of PM2.5, particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 microns in width. Due to their small size, .

Under hazardous air quality conditions, everyone is urged to stay indoors and reduce their activity outdoors as much as possible. And anyone, especially those with respiratory conditions, should stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and monitor air quality alerts for updates.

The wildfire has grown to 5,000 acres in size but is now 60% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Saturday afternoon.

• New Jersey
• Smoke Advisory