As wildfire smoke makes air unhealthy from Midwest to East Coast, officials say stay inside

Key Points:

• Heavy wildfire smoke from Canadian and northern Minnesota fires has darkened skies across the U.S. Great Lakes and East Coast regions, causing hazardous air quality levels and prompting health warnings.
• Officials in cities including Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia urged residents to stay indoors or wear masks outdoors due to unhealthy to hazardous air conditions affecting anyone regardless of health status.
• The smoke, trapped near the ground by a high-pressure system, has reduced visibility significantly and is expected to persist for weeks or months until the fires are extinguished by snow.
• Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke particles is linked to serious health risks including respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases, contributing to thousands of premature deaths annually in the U.S.
• Authorities continue firefighting and evacuation efforts in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters area, where fires are spreading despite challenges, and Canadian forces evacuated people from nearby Ontario wildfires.