Vaguely acrid smoke envelops the federal capital of the United States, the consequence of the fires raging in Canada. The city's public schools have cancelled all outdoor activities and an air quality alert is in effect.
But teenagers from the rest of the country on school trips are happily engaging in acrobatics on the lawn for souvenir photos, with the Lincoln Memorial in the background. While waiting for the mist to lift, perhaps this weekend, visitors are trying to enjoy the city.