Latest news with #sensitivegroups
New York Times
5 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Smoke From Wildfires in Canada Wafts Into the Upper Midwest
Smoke from wildfires in Canada has begun drifting across the border into the United States, raising concerns on Friday about possible health hazards in the Upper Midwest, the authorities said. Warnings about poor air quality were issued in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota along with advisories for people in certain groups to curtail outdoor activity. In Michigan, meteorologists at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said on Friday that the levels of fine particulate in the air would be elevated in the state through Saturday morning. People in sensitive groups, defined as those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and outdoor workers, who may be more susceptible to the smoke, were advised to take precautions, such as adjusting outdoor activity. Particulates are small specks of soot, ash and dust that are picked up by winds and flow hundreds of miles across borders and state lines. In Canada, wildfire season typically runs from March until October. In Western Canada, fire activity normally sees an uptick in May. The season got off to a grim start earlier this month when two people were killed in the province of Manitoba as a wildfire raged, forcing the evacuation of an entire town. This week in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, neighboring provinces in Canada's prairies, dozens of wildfires spread out-of-control, displacing thousands of residents. A cold front was dragging smoke from the large wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan across the border into Minnesota's northern region and tribal nations. The smoke was generating a reading of red on the air quality index, a standard measurement used by states to track particulate pollution, meaning it is unhealthy for many members of the general public. Air quality in the rest of the state was expected to be orange, or unhealthy especially for sensitive groups, Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency said. 'This will be a long-duration event with multiple rounds of smoke expected,' the agency said. The highest concentration of smoke is expected through Saturday afternoon, before a second round of smoke billows in on Sunday and a third wave arrives on Monday. In Wisconsin, state officials said hazy skies and elevated levels of fine particle pollution from the wildfires were forecast to drift into the northwestern region of the state before thickening and moving south on Friday. The advisory in Wisconsin is set to expire at 6 a.m. on Saturday, the Department of Natural Resources said, but there was a chance that the impacts from the smoke could continue in other areas. It said that there was also the possibility that the alert level on the air quality index could reach orange, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, and possibly red, meaning many more would be affected.
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Air quality alert issued for Monday for western and central Minnesota
NEXT Weather: 5:30 p.m. forecast from May 11, 2025 NEXT Weather: 5:30 p.m. forecast from May 11, 2025 NEXT Weather: 5:30 p.m. forecast from May 11, 2025 An air quality alert was issued due to ozone for western and central Minnesota, by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The agency says air quality is expected to reach the orange Air Quality Index (AQI) category, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The alert takes effect at noon Monday and runs until 9 p.m. According to the MPCA, the affected area includes the Twin Cities metro, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, St. Cloud, Ortonville, Mankato, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and Red Lake. The MPCA says ground-level ozone is expected to be highest during the afternoon and early evening hours. It says the mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures and low humidity will create an environment favorable to volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. They are two types of pollutants and produce ground-level ozone when they react in the air. Ozone is expected to be low in the morning, late evening and overnight. Unhealthy ozone levels can aggravate lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The MPCA says people who are more likely to be affected are: People who have asthma or other breathing conditions Children and teenagers People doing extended or heavy physical activity like play sports Everyone is being urged to take precautions. The MPCA recommends people to: Limit, change, or postpone your physical activity. If possible, stay away from local sources of air pollution like busy roads and wood fires. If you have asthma, or other breathing conditions like COPD, make sure you have your relief/rescue inhaler with you.
