Smoke from Canadian wildfires prompts air quality alert in northern United States

Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada triggered air quality alerts in the United States on Wednesday, including in parts of New England and northern Midwestern states like Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The air quality issues are projected to remain in impacted areas through Friday, according to the Washington Post, including in states like Connecticut, New York and Michigan. 

“It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory conditions like asthma,” the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality wrote in an alert Wednesday.

“Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters,” the alert added.

The air quality alerts are projected to go as far south as Washington, D.C., on Thursday and Baltimore, Maryland. 

The air quality issues stem from over a dozen wildfires in Canada's Ontario province, including one that burned through over 130,000 acres as of Tuesday, in Wabakimi Provincial Park, north of Lake Superior.

Wildfires in Minnesota have also contributed to air quality concerns in the U.S., the Washington Post reported.

New York City's Emergency Management said smoke from the wildfires are not expected to reach the same caliber as 2023's disastrous conditions, which occurred because of fires from Quebec. 

“At this time, current forecasts do not indicate a repeat of 2023 conditions,” the department said in a statement. “To protect the health of New Yorkers, especially those at greatest risk, free KN95 masks are available at public library branches across the five boroughs."

Air quality in New York City is in the purple zone of being "very unhealthy," as of Wednesday, which means the risk of health effects is increased for everyone.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.