Millions of Americans across the Midwest and Northeast are experiencing unhealthy air quality as smoke from extensive wildfires in Canada blankets large swaths of the United States. As of Wednesday morning, more than 830 wildfires were burning in Canada, many in west-central Ontario, releasing significant amounts of smoke that are being carried south by prevailing winds.
Air quality alerts have been issued for areas stretching from Minnesota to New York City, encompassing the entirety of Wisconsin and Michigan. Very heavy smoke was observed over Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, by Wednesday morning, with extreme smoke impacting northern Wisconsin. By the afternoon, smoke was expected to reach New York State and New England, potentially arriving in New York City and Boston by 2 p.m. ET.
The smoke is forecast to stream through cities including Green Bay, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, and Detroit by sunset on Wednesday. By Thursday, conditions could become particularly severe, described as "Mars-like" and smelling like a campfire, with some of the worst air quality in the world expected from Duluth to Green Bay and across much of northern Michigan. Cleveland, Columbus, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. are also likely to experience heavy smoke on Thursday.
The situation poses a risk to millions, with air quality potentially reaching dangerous levels for everyone, not just individuals with respiratory conditions. Officials anticipate that conditions will not be as intense as those experienced in June 2023. Relief is tentatively expected by Friday for the upper Midwest with rain, and for the Northeast on Saturday, which should help disperse the smoke.