Canada wildfire smoke blankets US Midwest, North-east with hazardous air

NEW YORK - Heavy smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada enveloped a swathe of the US from the Midwest to the North-east on July 16, prompting warnings from officials that residents should stay indoors wherever possible and avoid the acrid, unhealthy air.

Detroit registered the worst air quality of any city in the world on July 16, according to monitoring company IQAir, with a pollutant index of 600, twice the level considered “hazardous” by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Federal data showed dangerous levels of smoke across Minnesota, Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Ohio, and into Ontario, with hazardous readings in major cities such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Toronto.

Ten states reported at least some locations with an “unhealthy” reading, stretching from Minnesota to as far south as Maryland.

“It’s wild because when you look outside you think it’s fog, and it’s completely covered the city, and it’s smoke, because when we walk outside it burns,” Chicago resident Stephanie Villanova, 33, said while out for a late-morning downtown stroll with her 68-year-old father. Both were wearing face masks.

Outdoor shows, fairs and other events in Minnesota, including a concert by the rock band Creed at Mystic Lake Amphitheater outside Minneapolis, were cancelled on July 16 due to poor air quality, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

Municipal swimming pools, nature camps, golf courses and all outdoor events and programs scheduled in Minneapolis were likewise closed, the city Park and Recreation Board announced.

‘River of smoke’

Minnesota's north-eastern Iron Range region along Lake Superior, including the cities of Duluth and Hibbing, registered fine-particulate concentrations as high as 900 micrograms per cubic meter of air, triple the threshold classified as hazardous, according to the state Pollution Control Agency.

“It’s basically a river of smoke pouring into the Midwest right now,” said Emily Fischer, an atmospheric chemist and professor at Colorado State University. “This is a direct connection to climate change. This is the climate change that people breathe.”

The smoke was expected to worsen throughout the day. In New York, where the sky was tinged with an orange haze and the air smelled acrid, local officials urged residents to limit their outdoor time and cautioned the elderly, pregnant women and people with other risk factors, such as heart and lung disease, to remain inside.

The dangerous conditions in the New York City metropolitan area came just days before the FIFA World Cup soccer final was set to be played in nearby New Jersey on July 19 in front of more than 80,000 fans.

“Today is expected to be the worst day of this event,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a gathering on July 16. “At ‘unhealthy’ levels, everyone – not just people with asthma or heart conditions, not just older adults – everyone may feel health effects. So today, every New Yorker should take precautions.”

The city was handing out free KN95 face masks at hundreds of libraries, police precincts and firehouses, the mayor said.

The smoke is expected to worsen throughout the day. PHOTO: REUTERS

As of the morning of July 16, officials tallied 858 fires burning across Canada, including 111 considered out of control. Most of the fires were in the central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Roughly 2.4 million ha have burned during this wildfire season in Canada, according to government data. Climate experts say rising global temperatures are driving an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world.

Wildfire smoke, which can linger in the air for weeks and travel thousands of miles, is more toxic than normal air pollution. Studies have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, pregnancy complications and weakened immune defenses. REUTERS