Smoke from Canadian wildfires brings unhealthy air to large swaths of the Midwest
Air quality alerts were in effect in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as eastern Nebraska and parts of Indiana and Illinois. Forecasters said the smoky skies would remain for much of the day. People with lung disease, heart disease, children, older adults and pregnant women are most susceptible to the poor breathing conditions.
Canadian environmental officials said smoke from forest fires that was causing reduced visibility and poor quality would persist into Sunday for some areas.
The Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir, which assesses air quality in real time, listed the city of Minneapolis as having some of the worst air pollution in the world since Friday.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the red or unhealthy category in a large swath of Minnesota and will likely remain through Saturday. AQI is a system used to communicate how much air pollution is in the air. It breaks pollution down into six categories and colors, and advice on what isn't safe to do. They range from 'good' (the color green) to 'hazardous' (maroon).
The smoke could start to decline beginning Saturday before spreading as far south as Tennessee and Missouri. The air could remain unhealthy for sensitive groups through Monday, state health officials said.
The EPA's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate' while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups." Anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Parts of Minnesota exceeded that number on Saturday.
Health officials advise people with asthma and other lung disease, heart disease, children and older adults to avoid prolonged exposure to smoke and limit strenuous activities. They said to avoid burning things that could make the air pollution worse, and keep windows and doors closed to keep the smoke from getting inside.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Spain burns again! Wildfires sweep across Galicia as authorities announce a level 2 emergency
Wildfires have swept across northwestern Spain as firefighters work to tackle several blazes. Residents in Galicia have been warned of further fires as three major infernos remain uncontrolled, prompting authorities to announce a level 2 emergency. A conflagration in the Las Hurdes region of Cáceres has destroyed more than 2,600 hectares within a 28.5-kilometre perimeter according to Euronews. As a result of the flames, 200 residents from six villages - Cambrón, Dehesilla, Huerta, Avellanar, Robledo, Mesegal and the area of Caminomorisco - were forced to evacuate overnight on Thursday. More than 90 residents remain behind in student residences deemed safe while 400 emergency service workers have been deployed to try and manage the fire and contain it within the perimeter. The province of Ávila is also suffering from an active wildfire that broke out on Monday night in the Barranco de las Cinco Villas ravine. The blaze has continued to rage burning 2,000 hectares within a 25-kilometre perimeter and officials fear it is the result of arson. Elsewhere in the southeastern province of Ourense, fires have been spreading since last night. Between 11pm on Friday and 4pm on Saturday more than 450 hectares of the Serra das Penas Ceibes mountain range were destroyed and seven helicopters, seven airplanes, 23 firefighting brigades and 25 fire engines have been deployed to battling the inferno. Due to the severity of the blaze, the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been mobilised on the orders of the regional Galician government, El Pais reports. Due to the intense smoke, residents in Dona Elvira and Vilardevós have been told to stay in their homes while 230 km away another fire has burnt through 28 hectares. Videos posted on social media showed helicopters flying over the fires dropping water in an attempt to keep the fires under control. This is the largest forest fire recorded in the province of Ourense so far this year. Temperatures in Galicia have reached highs of 40C and warm air has helped fan the flames creating large blazes that are proving difficult for emergency services to tackle. It comes after blazes swept across Portugal and Greece earlier this week, while tornadoes struck tourist hotspots in parts of Spain and Switzerland. Thousands of firefighters have been battling dozens wildfires raging in northern Portugal and central Spain, in the largest wave of blazes in the Iberian Peninsula so far this year following weeks of summer heat. An aerial view of a burned area in Portugal as wildfires grip the Iberian peninsula The largest wildfire has been burning in the wooded, mountainous Arouca area - some 300 km (185 miles) north of Lisbon - since Monday, leading to the closure of the scenic trails of Passadicos do Paiva, a popular tourist attraction. Some 800 firefighters and seven waterbombing aircraft tackled the blaze. 'There was a huge effort during the night, so now we have a somewhat calmer situation,' Civil Protection Commander Helder Silva told reporters, cautioning that shifting strong winds and a difficult terrain meant their work was far from over. 'It's a very large wildfire in areas with difficult access,' he said. Further north, a blaze has been raging since Saturday in the Peneda-Geres national park near the Spanish border, enveloping nearby villages in thick smoke that led to orders for residents to stay at home. Portuguese firefighters managed to control two large fires that started on Monday in the central areas of Penamacor and Nisa. Authorities said the Penamacor blaze had destroyed 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of forest. In Spain's central province of Avila, shifting gusts of wind hindered efforts by firefighters and a special military unit, emergency services said. Wildfires have also erupted Greece. Pictured: Smoke rises from a wildfire that broke out early hours in the area of Assiros, in the outskirts of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, 30 July 2025 Residents in the village of El Arenal, about 100 km (62 miles) west of Madrid, were advised to remain indoors due to heavy smoke. Meanwhile, in Greece a large wildfire is currently ripping through a forest area between Kanali and Monolithi in Preveza. The fire started at approximately 2pm local time (12.00 BST) and quickly grew. Shortly after the blaze erupted a 112 message was sent to residents of the area warning them to be alert and ready to evacuate if necessary. Residents have complained that emergency aircraft were slow to intervene, resulting in the fire growing in size and destroying a protected area, local media reports. Roughly 40 firefighters are working to tackle the blaze with, 16 vehicles, 4 aircraft and 1 helicopter at the scene.
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires
When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it. Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities. Here's what to know about taking precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires. What counts as bad air? The EPA 's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate" while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups,' and anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo's medical school. 'If you have heart or lung problems, then you've got to be definitely more careful," Sethi said. "I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.' Is my air unhealthy? Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don't see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe. The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings. The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University 's Healthy Buildings Program. 'You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don't cost all that much anymore,' he said. What if I have to go outside? For most people, going outside for just a short time won't have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi. Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution. 'N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,' said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University's Center for Climate and Health. 'If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that's the very best.' If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it's good to take precautions. "If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you're feeling short of breath, that's definitely more concerning,' Sethi said. How do I make my air cleaner? Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors. Finally, swapping the air conditioner's filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it's installed correctly. 'If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it's just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you're doing most of your activities in,' said Stowell. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Smoke from Canadian wildfires brings unhealthy air to large swaths of the Midwest
Smoke from Canadian wildfires hovered over several Midwestern states Saturday, bringing warnings of unhealthy air for at least the third day. Air quality alerts were in effect in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as eastern Nebraska and parts of Indiana and Illinois. Forecasters said the smoky skies would remain for much of the day. People with lung disease, heart disease, children, older adults and pregnant women are most susceptible to the poor breathing conditions. Canadian environmental officials said smoke from forest fires that was causing reduced visibility and poor quality would persist into Sunday for some areas. The Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir, which assesses air quality in real time, listed the city of Minneapolis as having some of the worst air pollution in the world since Friday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the red or unhealthy category in a large swath of Minnesota and will likely remain through Saturday. AQI is a system used to communicate how much air pollution is in the air. It breaks pollution down into six categories and colors, and advice on what isn't safe to do. They range from 'good' (the color green) to 'hazardous' (maroon). The smoke could start to decline beginning Saturday before spreading as far south as Tennessee and Missouri. The air could remain unhealthy for sensitive groups through Monday, state health officials said. The EPA's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate' while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups." Anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Parts of Minnesota exceeded that number on Saturday. Health officials advise people with asthma and other lung disease, heart disease, children and older adults to avoid prolonged exposure to smoke and limit strenuous activities. They said to avoid burning things that could make the air pollution worse, and keep windows and doors closed to keep the smoke from getting inside. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
