Smoke from Canadian Wildfires Engulfs U.S. Midwest, Triggers Air Quality Alerts

Thick smoke from out-of-control wildfires in Manitoba, Canada, is sweeping across large portions of the United States this weekend, prompting health alerts in several states and turning skies hazy from the Great Lakes to the Midwest.

Driven by steady north-to-south winds, the smoke began blanketing parts of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin early Friday, pushing air quality to levels deemed unhealthy by federal standards.

According to the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, air quality index levels are expected to reach Level 3 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) and even Level 4 (unhealthy for all people) in some areas.

Regions Under Alert

Air quality alerts are in effect across:

• Minnesota (Duluth, Silver Bay, Grand Marais)
• Michigan (Houghton, Marquette, Iron River)
• Wisconsin (Ashland, Wausau, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee)

Residents are advised to limit outdoor activities, especially those with asthma, heart conditions, or other respiratory illnesses. Officials also recommend keeping windows closed and using air purifiers or HVAC systems with clean filters indoors.

Smoke Spreading Across States

The smoke isn’t just sticking to the Upper Midwest. Lighter haze and moderate smoke concentrations are drifting south and east, potentially reaching Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and even the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast by Saturday afternoon.

On Friday, skies in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are expected to appear milky or gray, even where air quality remains at moderate levels.

According to forecast models from NOAA and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, the densest smoke remains concentrated near the Great Lakes. At the same time, plumes continue to move eastward across the U.S. and even out across the Atlantic Ocean.

This event comes nearly a year after the now-infamous June 2023 Quebec wildfires, which choked New York City and much of the East Coast in orange haze and hazardous air.

But this time, the wildfires are centered in central Manitoba, about 1,500 miles from Washington, D.C.—making a repeat of those scenes unlikely, at least for now.

Still, international models suggest the smoke could reach as far as Newfoundland, the Azores, Ireland, the UK, and possibly Norway by Sunday, highlighting the global scale of large wildfire events in today’s warming climate.

Current models suggest the smoke will linger through Sunday in much of the Midwest and central states. However, a shift in wind patterns early next week could bring relief.

Residents across affected states are advised to monitor local air quality reports and follow guidance from health officials. For real-time updates, visit AirNow.gov or check your local weather service alerts.