Afternoon Briefing: About those air quality readings yesterday
Good afternoon, Chicago.
Readings from several popular weather apps had people across the Chicago area spending much of yesterday wondering whether their air was safe to breathe — until the dangerously unhealthy levels were revealed to be a glitch.
Early in the morning, Google's air quality map showed that Chicago had the worst air in the country. Apple's weather app, too, showed that the Air Quality Index had climbed into the 400s, a reading so hazardous that people are encouraged to stay indoors. (The Air Quality Index, which ranges from 0 to 500, is a measure of the density of five pollutants in the air: ground-level ozone, particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.)
To put that in perspective, that's as high as the levels reached in 2023 when smoke from wildfires in Canada blanketed much of the East Coast and turned the sky in New York City orange.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Robert Crimo III will spend the rest of his life in prison for opening fire on spectators at the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day Parade. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Aldermen spurning Mayor Brandon Johnson's new budget working group: 'It points to a larger problem'
Police warn teens that 'Senior Assassin' or 'Paranoia' game could be deadly
A Chicago Housing Authority board member had a 'sexually graphic conversation' in front of agency employees and has been reprimanded by the interim board chair, a housing authority Office of the Inspector General report reveals. Read more here.
More top business stories:
Aurora City Council OKs nearly $13 million tax sharing agreement to help Valley Honda expand
Reynolds Consumer Products CEO pays $3.1M for Lake Forest mansion
Smart roads could lead the way to faster, safer travel — and successfully competing with China
It's finally time for the most controversial stretch of the NBA season — the waiting period between submitting end-of-year ballots and announcing the final award winners. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Federal judge delays $2.8 billion NCAA settlement to address roster limit concerns
Infielder Bobby Dalbec looks for opportunity with the Chicago White Sox: 'He's got power to all fields'
In the Amazon dramedy 'Étoile,' a ballet company in New York and another in Paris swap some of their talent for a season, hoping the gimmick will sell more tickets and fix some financial struggles. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Riot Fest announces 20 bands will play full album sets for 2025
'Leverage: Redemption' review: Breezy caper series with a moral compass is back for Season 3
Column: Doc10's Anthony Kaufman on why documentary film are imperiled — and why they'll survive
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton today became the first of what is expected to be many candidates to launch bids for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
Illinois and 11 other states sue the Trump administration to stop tariff policy
Judge bars Trump from denying federal funds to 'sanctuary' cities that limit immigration cooperation
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
13 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Wildfire south of Sambaa K'e grows 2,300 hectares over weekend
A wildfire 30 kilometres south of Sambaa k'e expanded from 500 hectares to 2,800 over the weekend, according to the June 2 update from NWT Fire. The update was released shortly before 5 p.m. The wildfire FS002-25 is out of control but not considered a danger currently. 'Crews are setting up sprinklers on cabins which may be threatened,' said wildfire information officer Thomas Bentham. 'There is no threat to the community of Sambaa K'e at this time.' Another wildfire, 13 kilometres west of Highway 1, more than doubled in size. Wildfire SS008-25 grew from 4,836 hectares on Friday to an estimated 11,358 hectares today. Bentham said the wide-ranging fire was not a threat to people or property but smoke may impact drivers on the highway. Near Fort Smith, SS007-25 has grown slightly since Friday. It's now 325 hectares from 295 last week. A fire along the B.C. border, FS003-25, has grown to 250 hectares from 15 hectares on May 29. However, a second fire along the B.C. is close to being under control. A second fire which sprouted up 27 km southwest of Fort Simpson was attacked and is now declared out. One new fire in the North Slave region is currently being attacked by crews. ZF005-25 is 11 hectares in size and not considered a threat right now. Fire crews on both sides of the NWT-Alberta border are gathering resources to deal with SS009-25, which entered the NWT about 28 kilometres east of Fort Smith. The 6,545 hectare wildfire is showing increasing activity and crews are preparing structural protection on either side of the blaze. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
13 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
NWT battling two new massive fires as others grow
Firefighters in the NWT are battling two more massive fires as strong winds have caused three others to grow in size. An update from NWT Fire info was released shortly before 6 p.m. on May 30. 'Extreme conditions continue in the North Slave, South Slave, and Dehcho. Hot, dry, extremely windy weather means any new fires may grow rapidly and be difficult to control,' said NWT wildfire information officer Thomas Bentham. 'Smoke may be visible from Sambaa K'e and Fort Liard due to these wildfires. There are no threats to communities or infrastructure at this time.' One of the newly listed fires, SS009-25, currently 28 kilometres east of Fort Smith, has expanded into the territory from northern Alberta. It is 6,545 hectares in size. Crews are monitoring the fire and will deploy protections to structures as needed. The other newly listed fire is also massive — SS008-25, which sits 13 km west of Highway 1 and is 4,836 hectares in size. However, in spite of its girth it currently does not pose a threat to infrastructure. Also near Fort Smith, SS007-25 has grown for the second consecutive day. It is now 295 hectares in size, compared to seven hectares two days ago. However, while it has grown exponentially it hasn't moved and remains still 24 km away. To the east of Fort Liard, FS001-25 has also stayed in place, but has also grown from 80 hectares yesterday to 200 today. It remains 74 km away from the community. Yesterday's biggest fire, FS002-25, which sits about 30 km southwest of Sambaa K'e, has also grown, expanding from 300 hectares to 500. Two other fires near the B.C. border have not changed in size or position. Bentham asked Northerners to exercise common sense and be mindful of the weather and moisture conditions. 'Know the fire danger in your area,' he said. 'If it's high or extreme, avoid any campfires. If it's windy, no matter the danger, pick a different day to have a fire, and follow local fire bans in your area.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
14 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Forest fire smoke causes air quality to remain at ‘high risk' in Hamilton area
Smoke from forest fires as far away as northwestern Ontario and the prairies are continuing to cause poor air quality for Hamilton residents Friday, with air quality listed at high risk Friday afternoon. Air quality is expected to remain high risk into Friday evening. The forecast for Saturday morning's air quality is low risk. Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement for much of southern Ontario, including Hamilton, warning 'wildfire smoke' is expected to cause reduced visibility and poor air quality that could have consequences for your health. 'As smoke levels increase, health risks increase,' noted the agency in a release that encourages people to limit their time outdoors and reschedule outdoor sports or events. Major forest fires have been burning for weeks in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario, in some cases resulting in deaths and mass evacuations from fire-threatened communities. Until now, the only noticeable impact in the Hamilton area was a hazy, vividly red sun , because the high-flying pollution was not making its way to ground level. But the Air Quality Health Index for Hamilton, available online , forecast a jump in air pollution starting Thursday from the 'moderate' to 'high' risk level. Environment Canada attributes that expected jump to wildfire smoke, which has travelled from Western Canada to Ontario, parts of the U.S. and even Europe. Similar Hamilton health warnings went out in June of 2023 during major forest fires in Quebec . For at-risk populations, including those with breathing or heart problems, experts recommend rescheduling strenuous activities outside. Children and seniors are also advised to take it easy. For the general population, the advice is to consider reducing outdoor activities if you experience symptoms like coughing or throat irritation. If you have to spend time outside, wearing a 'respirator-type mask' like a certified N95 can help cut exposure to fines particles. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
