Air quality advisories issued for portions of Michigan because of Canadian wildfire smoke
Drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires has resulted in an air quality advisory for Southeast Michigan, issued late Friday morning through early Saturday morning.
Conditions could reach "unhealthy for sensitive groups," the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said in its press release issued Friday, "and there is a possibility that hourly levels could reach the unhealthy range for a short period of time."
This is the first such notice for Southeast Michigan in 2025.
The National Weather Service in Detroit noted the alert on its maps, and some weather apps have forwarded the NWS announcements that the wildfire smoke will move over Southeast Michigan late this afternoon and evening. The counties in that notice include Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe.
"We urge folks to plan accordingly by taking precautions based on the current conditions, air quality advisories and recommendations and forecasts," said John Pepin, Michigan Department of Natural Resources deputy public information officer. "Always play it safe, know before you go and plan ahead."
While drifting smoke is not the only contributing factor for the occasional poor air quality announcements in Michigan, it has been a known issue in recent years.
"The 2023 Canadian wildfire event emphasized how important communication is when wildfire smoke may impact Michigan's communities," said Annette Switzer, EGLE's Air Quality Division director. "We want to ensure residents are informed and know how to protect themselves and their families."
What is the difference between an advisory and an alert?
An advisory is issued with two or more air quality monitors in a designated area are expected to detect particulate levels that reach or exceed the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" threshold, according to EGLE. A color-coded air quality map will show that status in orange.
An alert is issued when two or more air quality monitors in a designated area are expected to reach or exceed the "unhealthy" threshold. A color-coded air quality map will show that status in red, purple or maroon.
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