Air quality alerts are being issued to the Midwest and Plains states due to air pollution caused by smoke from wildfires in Canada, which has triggered warnings about hazardous conditions

Several states have issued air quality alerts as a result of the smoke from Canadian wildfires that is still engulfing portions of the Midwest and Great Plains.

The nonprofit Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which assists the government in responding to wildfires, reports that over 90 fires are out of control and spread throughout Canada. About 17,000 people have been displaced due to active fires in Manitoba, a province in central Canada.

That smoke moved into the Upper Midwest on Friday due to strong winds in the atmosphere, and over the weekend, the plumes continued to move southeast, all the way to the Georgia-Florida border.

One or two U. S. . Pregnant women, newborns, elderly people, and those with heart or respiratory conditions should limit their time outside as states may have poor air quality through Monday.

The National Weather Service reports that residents in the impacted areas may experience hazy skies, a campfire odor, and vibrant sunrises and sunsets.

Until Monday evening, the entire state of Minnesota is under an air quality alert. Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which gauges daily air pollution, the northern counties of the state are predicted to experience unhealthy air quality. Even individuals who do not belong to a sensitive group may suffer from health effects like coughing, shortness of breath, runny noses, or itchy eyes under these circumstances.

Although Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources stated that another advisory might be necessary by Sunday afternoon, the state’s air quality advisory was issued on Friday and ended the following day. According to the department, heavy smoke is expected to move across the state on Monday after reaching Northwestern counties on Sunday evening. Sensitive populations may find the air quality in many areas of Wisconsin unhealthy, with a region in the northwest having even worse air quality.

Air quality in some areas of North Dakota is currently at the “very unhealthy” AQI threshold, which increases the risk of health effects for everyone who is exposed. Residents who live in smoky areas have been advised by state officials to limit their outdoor activities, especially if they have respiratory disorders. Other strategies to lessen exposure include wearing an N95 mask outside, shutting windows, and turning on indoor air filters.

Additionally, an air quality alert was issued for some areas of South Dakota, which will remain in effect until Sunday or until conditions improve.

Smoke from wildfires can spread hundreds or thousands of miles, endangering the health of those who live far from an active fire.

The Northeastern United States’ skies turned orange in 2023 due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. A. and caused dangerously low air quality in Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C. A.

According to a study conducted last year, individuals who breathed in smoke from New York and New Jersey were probably exposed to very high levels of fine particulate matter, which are microscopic airborne particles that can enter the lungs deeply. While long-term exposure to these particles can raise the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic kidney disease, short-term exposure can raise the risk of cardiac arrest, asthma attacks, or stroke.

Along with other extreme weather events like hurricanes and heat waves, climate change is making wildfires more common and intense.