Canadian Wildfire Smoke Blankets US Midwest and Northeast

More than 100 million Americans across 18 states and the District of Columbia are under air quality alerts Friday as thick wildfire smoke from Canada continues to pour south. Air quality from northeast Minnesota to southeast Virginia has been classified as very unhealthy or hazardous by federal authorities.

Scale of the Crisis

Canada is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons on record. Over 3,500 fires have burned more than six million acres this summer, with a dozen new blazes erupting in Ontario in recent weeks. Forecasters warn that new smoke plumes will arrive through at least Saturday, when a storm system is expected to bring rain to the Northeast, temporarily washing smoke from the air.

Health Warnings

Health officials are urging residents in affected areas to stay indoors, keep windows and doors shut, and limit strenuous outdoor activity. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are at particular risk from fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke. Authorities in Michigan, Minnesota, and several northeastern states have issued formal public health advisories.

Hazy orange skies have been reported from Virginia to New York City, alarming residents unaccustomed to such severe smoke events.

The episode is a sharp reminder of how climate change is intensifying Canada's wildfire season with consequences felt far across the border.