Wildfire Smoke Reaches Dangerous Levels From Minnesota to New England

Millions of Americans woke up to dangerous air quality conditions on Thursday as wildfire smoke moved across several major cities in the northern U.S. Here is the latest on the fluid situation.

Residents Being Urged to Exercise Caution as Air Quality Worsens in Northern U.S.

Smoke from wildfires burning across the border in Canada is spilling over the border and impacting the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes, and the Northeast. Forecasters are warning that conditions could get worse before they get better.

It feels like deja vu, harkening back to the 2023 fires in Quebec that created hazardous air quality across the northeastern U.S. This current event could create similar conditions, making it dangerous for people with underlying health issues to spend any time outside.

Air quality alerts are now in effect for millions of residents across Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware.

The smoky and hazy air is being blamed on over 800 wildfires blazing across Canada. Not surprisingly, Toronto, Ontario, suffered some of the worst air quality levels in North America on Wednesday, coming in at a "very unhealthy" designation of 220.

The U.S. saw the air quality index (AQI) ratings soar on Thursday morning as the smoke became more entrenched over the Great Lakes and the Northeast. Cities such as Minneapolis, Duluth, and Detroit experienced some of the worst air as the sun came up, with AQIs that shot up over 300.

Even healthy individuals will experience concerning impacts with AQIs this high. It only takes a few minutes of exposure to lead to adverse health impacts.

The forecast is calling for air quality levels to deteriorate even further through the rest of the week. The dense smoke is expected to spread on Thursday, reaching New England to the east and into portions of the northern edge of the mid-Atlantic to the south.

In addition to the wildfires burning in Ontario, blazes in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories are also sending smoke across large swaths of North America.

The only silver lining of the thick smoke is that it will help to bring down temperatures within the core of the persistent heat dome anchored over some parts of the U.S.

Weather changes fast, so help your community stay prepared. Share this story with friends, family, or your group chat, and keep your forecast in the now with Weather Forecast Now.