Smoke from Canadian wildfires triggers unhealthy air alerts across 20 U.S. states
Wildfire smoke from Ontario and Minnesota has spread to more than 20 states, prompting air quality alerts ranging from unhealthy to hazardous and urging residents to limit outdoor activity.
Smoke from wildfires burning in south-central Canada and parts of Minnesota has drifted into the United States, prompting air-quality alerts in over 20 states. NASA said winds carried the smoke southeast across Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. Midwest and Northeast, tinting skies gray and orange.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported unhealthy conditions Thursday morning in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Michigan, and very unhealthy or hazardous levels later in the day across a broader area, including Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and others. Officials in the affected states advised residents to reduce outdoor activity and, where conditions were hazardous, to stay indoors.
Minneapolis recorded the world’s most polluted air on IQAir’s global ranking, followed by Detroit and Chicago. The National Weather Service in Detroit warned that smoke would be densest that afternoon and night, reducing visibility.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged people to remain in air-conditioned spaces, limit outdoor exposure and stay hydrated, while Governor Kathy Hochul announced the distribution of more than 100,000 N95-style masks to counties and commuter hubs. State officials said the current episode does not yet match the hazardous levels seen in 2023 but warned that smoke could persist through the weekend.
Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey noted that the smoke is “darkening skies and getting in our lungs across the state” and linked the situation to broader climate concerns. Weather agencies in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Michigan and Ohio also warned of reduced visibility and ongoing smoky conditions through Friday and possibly into the weekend.