Smoke from more than 700 active wildfires in Canada is once again clouding skies and pushing air quality into dangerous territory across the Midwest and Northeast, with Upstate New York, Minnesota, and several Great Lakes states issuing fresh warnings as pollution levels spike.
On Sunday, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation said the air quality index (AQI) across much of Upstate New York will exceed 100-placing it in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category. At-risk populations include children, seniors, pregnant individuals, those with asthma or cardiovascular disease, outdoor workers, and disadvantaged communities.
More than 200 fires are currently burning in Canada, including at least 59 considered out of control, according to Natural Resources Canada. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported Sunday that over 700 fires were active nationwide, with the majority concentrated in Manitoba, a province under a state of emergency and situated directly north of Minnesota.
"This is an ongoing process," National Weather Service Lead Forecaster Bob Oravec told NPR. "The smoke is rising into the winds and the winds just transport it downstream, like anything-like a leaf getting blown."
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency extended its statewide air quality alert through Monday, August 4, marking the longest alert since it began issuing them in 2008. Conditions reached the "red" level-considered unhealthy for everyone-for all regions of the state earlier this weekend.
"Sensitive or more exposed individuals may experience more serious health effects, including worsening of existing heart or lung disease and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, possibly leading to an asthma attack, heart attack, or stroke," the agency said in a statement.
Similar air quality alerts have been issued across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources extended its warning through Monday for southeastern counties, while Michigan officials placed the entire state under an advisory.
Air quality tracker IQAir ranked Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis among the most polluted U.S. cities on Sunday.
