Air quality expert discusses impact of wildfires, smoke duration, and long-term preparedness
Air quality expert Jeffrey Brook discusses wildfire smoke, its impact, how long it may last, and how we can adapt to the new normal.
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As smoke billowing from wildfires continues to fill the air in much of Manitoba, a number of events in and around Winnipeg have been cancelled due to concerns about outdoor conditions Environment and Climate Change Canada warns can be dangerous. Much of the province, including the southern cities of Winnipeg and Brandon and Thompson to the north, remained under air quality warnings from the agency on Saturday. Environment Canada's alert advised people to reschedule or cancel outdoor sports, activities and events to limit exposure to wildfire smoke. The agency said the current conditions can affect anyone's health, regardless of their age or health status, but warned pregnant people, young children and those with underlying medical conditions are more prone to the effects of smoke. While the Winnipeg Folk Festival, which started Thursday and continues until Sunday, is going ahead at Birds Hill Provincial Park as planned on Saturday, organizers of some other outdoor events decided to cancel. Rainbow Stage, which performs in an open-air theatre at Winnipeg's Kildonan Park, cancelled its matinee performance of Rock of Ages on Saturday. Wildfire smoke "is now, regrettably, one of the many nature-related challenges that we face," the theatre company said in a statement posted to social media. The show was scheduled to go up at 2 p.m. Rainbow Stage said it was hoping to go ahead with its 7:30 p.m. performance as planned, with hourly forecasts and upcoming wind changes suggesting air quality could be at acceptable levels by then. As of 3 p.m., Winnipeg's air quality health index remained at the "very high risk" 10+ level. It was forecast to drop to Level 7 — the "high risk" range — on Saturday night, but climb back into the 10+ range by Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Football Manitoba said via social media it was cancelling a weekend provincial tournament in Winnipeg due to poor air quality. The organization said that under its safety policy, it won't proceed with outdoor play when the air quality index is forecast to exceed Level 7, meaning "high risk." Football Manitoba said moving indoors wasn't an option, as many local facilities are being used to host evacuees who had been forced away from their homes by wildfires. And Baseball Manitoba initially thought early Saturday morning it might be able to move ahead with its games, but cancelled them later that morning due to air quality concerns. Manitoba is under a second provincial state of emergency for this season, declared earlier this week. According to the province's latest fire bulletin, issued Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 107 active wildfires across the province, which has seen a total of 270 wildfires to date — well above the average for this time of year of 201.
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Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the U.S. Upper Midwest
This photo taken by Pace Maier shows smoky skies on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Pelican Lake near Ashby, Minn. (Pace Maier via AP) BISMARCK, N.D. — Much of the U.S. Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air due to drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the U.S. at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes, trails and the great outdoors. Most of Minnesota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin were ranked 'unhealthy' for air quality on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map. Part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked 'very unhealthy,' some of the worst air quality in the nation. In Minnesota, 'If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it'll turn into ham,' quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities. Normally there would be boats and jet skis all over, but on Saturday he couldn't see a boat on the lake, where the smoke impaired visibility and curtailed his camper business. None of his 18 RV sites was occupied. His seven rental cabins drew a handful of customers. 'I suspect when the weather clears, we'll be swamped again. Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats here lined up at my docks, and today my boat is the only one,' Chirpich said. The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said. Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said. 'Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it's a little frustrating when there's this smoke in the air,' she said. Fires in Canada prompt state of emergency for some All of Manitoba is under a state of emergency due to the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the province. The fires in the central Canadian province have burned over 3,861 square miles (10,000 square kilometres), the most land burned in 30 years of electronic recordkeeping. Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn. North Rim in Grand Canyon still closed In Arizona, the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park is still closed due to a 2.3 square-mile (6.1 square-kilometre) wildfire and another fire nearby on Bureau of Land Management land that has burned nearly 17 square miles (44 square kilometres). In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remains closed due to a 4.4 square mile (11.3 square kilometre) wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. Crews have been fighting the fire on multiple sides to stop it from spreading. The fires in and near both national parks led to evacuations of hundreds of people. Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is 'a bit pensive about how that's going to be there.' 'I'm going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,' he said. Jack Dura, The Associated Press
