Canadian Wildfires Send Smoke Across U.S., Prompting Air Quality Alerts
Smoke from hundreds of ongoing wildfires across western and central Canada has drifted into the U.S., triggering air quality alerts across the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes states, and parts of the Northeast for several days now.
Where Air Quality Is Impacted
Air quality alerts are currently in effect in multiple states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, and Missouri. In the Northeast, states like New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine have also issued health advisories.
Cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, and Detroit regularly rank among those with the worst air quality globally throughout this smoke event.
Why It’s Happening
Dry conditions, drought, and record-breaking wildfire activity across Canadian provinces—especially Saskatchewan and Manitoba—have resulted in massive smoke plumes that are being carried south by prevailing winds and a persistent high-pressure ridge that traps pollutants near ground level.
As of early August, more than 700 fires are actively burning in Canada, with many still out of control. Smoke has even traveled as far as Europe, leading to smoky skies and red sunsets overseas.
Health Risks & Recommendations
Air quality has reached “unhealthy” levels, sometimes even “very unhealthy”, especially around urban centers like Minneapolis and Detroit, with AQI readings regularly exceeding 150 and occasionally topping 250 in some areas.
Health experts strongly advise vulnerable groups, such as those with heart or lung disease, children, older adults, and pregnant people, to avoid outdoor exertion. Highlights to reduce exposure include staying indoors, running air purifiers or air conditioning, closing windows, and wearing certified N95 masks when going outside.
Reports indicate an uptick in ER admissions, breathing difficulties, and cardiovascular incidents tied to prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) carried in wildfire smoke.
What’s Ahead
Smoke is expected to linger into the early week, particularly over the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeast. A new weather front may help disperse the haze later, though a return of thicker smoke is possible midweek.
Meteorologists warn the current wildfire season is among the worst on record, possibly second only to the record-breaking 2023 season in terms of area burned and smoke volume.