Canadian Wildfires: 115 Million Americans Face Unhealthy Air As Smoke Spreads South

Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota is spreading across the Midwest and East Coast, with more than 115 million people facing unhealthy air quality through Friday as a heat dome traps the smoke near the ground.

Millions of people from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic are breathing hazardous air this week as smoke from wildfires burning in Canada spreads across the region, and forecasters say things are about to get worse before they get better. Through Friday, over 115 million people are expected to face air quality that ranks as unhealthy or worse, according to the Washington Post. The smoke is being pushed south by strong winds, and a heat dome sitting over the East Coast is trapping it close to the ground instead of letting it disperse.

For a stretch from late Wednesday into early Thursday, several major American cities recorded among the dirtiest air anywhere in the world. Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and New York all ranked among the most polluted major cities globally during that window, based on IQAir data.

Detroit was hit especially hard, with its air quality index climbing to 728 late Wednesday. For comparison, that is far beyond the peak reading of 465 that New York City saw during the smoke crisis of June 2023.

Baltimore and Washington, D.C. may catch a break for most of Thursday, as shifting winds are expected to keep the heaviest smoke away from the two cities during the day. That reprieve will not last, though. Air quality is forecast to drop sharply once night falls, with the smoke plume expected to surge south and cover much of Virginia and parts of North Carolina. Those unhealthy conditions are expected to stick around through Friday night.

To help residents cope, New York City is handing out free KN95 masks at every police precinct and public library across all five boroughs.

Michigan’s environmental agency urged residents, particularly those with asthma or heart conditions, to steer clear of intense outdoor activity while the smoke lingers. The agency also advised people to shut their windows overnight and, where possible, run central air conditioning fitted with MERV-13 or higher filters to keep smoke from seeping indoors.

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