- “It’s climate change that people are breathing in,” says one expert.
- Elderly and medically vulnerable people are encouraged to stay indoors.
- Unhealthy air readings have been reported in at least 10 US states.
NEW YORK: Thick smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada enveloped parts of the United States from the Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday, prompting authorities to warn residents that they should stay indoors as much as possible and avoid the acrid, unhealthy air.
Detroit recorded the worst air quality of any city in the world on Thursday, according to monitoring company IQAir, with a pollution index of 600, twice the level considered “hazardous” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Federal data showed dangerous smoke levels in Minnesota, Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Ohio and Ontario, with dangerous values in major cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Toronto. Ten states reported at least some places with an “unhealthy” reading, stretching from Minnesota south to Maryland.
“It’s wild because when you look outside, you think it’s fog, and it’s completely covering the city, and it’s smoke, because when you walk outside, it’s burning,” said Stephanie Villanova, 33, a Chicago resident, as she took a late morning stroll downtown with her 68-year-old father. Both wore masks.
Outdoor performances, fairs and other events in Minnesota, including a concert by rock band Creed at Mystic Lake Amphitheater near Minneapolis, were canceled Thursday due to poor air quality, the Minnesota Star PK Press Club reported.
Municipal pools, nature camps, golf courses and all scheduled outdoor events and programs in Minneapolis were also closed, the city’s parks and recreation board announced.
“River of Smoke”
The Iron Range region of northeastern Minnesota along Lake Superior, including the cities of Duluth and Hibbing, recorded concentrations of fine particles as high as 900 micrograms per cubic meter of air, triple the threshold classified as hazardous, according to the state pollution control agency.
“It’s basically a river of smoke that’s pouring into the Midwest right now,” said Emily Fischer, an atmospheric chemist and professor at Colorado State University. “It’s a direct link to climate change. It’s the climate change that people are breathing.”
The smoke was expected to get worse throughout the day. In New York, where the sky was tinged with an orange haze and the air smelled acrid, local authorities urged residents to limit their time spent outdoors and warned the elderly, pregnant women and people with other risk factors, such as heart and lung disease, to stay indoors.
The dangerous conditions in the New York metropolitan area came just days before the FIFA World Cup final was to be played Sunday in neighboring New Jersey, in front of more than 80,000 fans.
“Today is expected to be the worst day of this event,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a rally Thursday. “At ‘unhealthy’ levels, everyone – not just people with asthma or heart problems, not just older adults – everyone can experience health effects. That’s why today, every New Yorker should take precautions.”
The city was distributing free KN95 masks to hundreds of libraries, police stations and fire stations, the mayor said.
As of Thursday morning, authorities counted 858 fires across Canada, including 111 considered out of control. Most of the fires occurred in the central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
About 5.9 million acres (2.4 million hectares) burned this wildfire season in Canada, according to government data. Climate experts say rising global temperatures are leading to an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world.
Wildfire smoke, which can linger in the air for weeks and travel thousands of miles, is more toxic than normal air pollution. Studies have linked wildfire smoke to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, pregnancy complications and weakened immune systems.
