Canadian #wildfire smoke turns air hazardous in the US #Midwest. Officials say stay inside
By TAMMY WEBBER and PHILIP MARCELO, July 16, 2026
NEW YORK (AP) — "Heavy, pungent smoke from #CanadianWildfires darkened skies in the U.S. on Thursday from the #GreatLakes to parts of the #EastCoast, reducing visibility for commuters and prompting warnings that air quality could make being outside dangerous.
"#Detroit’s air quality was among the worst in the world for major cities, as a lingering high pressure system trapped smoke from dozens of fires in Canada and northern Minnesota, said Steven Freitag, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Pontiac, Michigan.
" 'Sure enough, it arrived in force here and it’s really pretty extreme levels,' said Freitag, who noted that visibility in some areas was reduced to a half mile.
"Omar Mitchell wore a mask as he walked to his restaurant in Detroit. He said he urged his employees to do the same.
" 'It’s scary,' Mitchell, 50, said as he looked at the sky. 'You don’t know necessarily what the side effects may be. That’s days or months later.'
"Cities across the Great Lakes states registered air quality ranging from unhealthy to hazardous — which means it’s unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions. Microscopic particles can lodge deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to heart and lung problems and contributing to other long-term health issues.
"All of #Michigan and much of #Minnesota were under a hazardous #AirQualityAlert. In the Chicago area, air quality ranged from very unhealthy to hazardous.
"National Weather Service meteorologist Jake Petr said even if winds from the northwest clear skies as expected later this week, the smoky air could keep returning until the fires are out. That could take weeks or longer.
" 'Anytime we have something that could bring air from that region until the fires are over, it could conceivably dip back into the area,' Petr said.
"In #SaintPaulMN, the air was 'glowing yellow,' said Brent Williams, head of the soil, water and climate department at the University of Minnesota, who said the area 'could be looking at weeks to months of continued smoke and flare-ups off and on as the winds blow in different directions.'
"A study published this year found that long-term exposure to tiny particles from wildfire smoke contributed to an average of 24,100 deaths a year in the lower 48 states. Long-term exposure can make existing health problems worse and lead to a range of chronic and deadly health issues, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, and premature death."
https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-smoke-us-ae4b2bd09a97919a081e26ede6a6d355
#CRBox #AirQuality #WildfireSmoke #AQI #HEPAFilters #CorsiRosenthalBox #AirCleaners #Masks #ParticulateMatter #RespiratorMasks #StayIndoors #ThanksBigOil