Canadian wildfire smoke leads multiple states to declare ‘code red’ due to poor air quality

There were 23 new fires in Canada today and 491 active fires burning overall across the huge country, the smoke from some of which has been shrouding cities and communities in the U.S.

Eight million hectares, or around 19.7 million acres, have burned this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. There have been more than 3,000 fires this year.

Not all the active fires were out of control. Of the 491 fires, 249 were out of control, 87 were “being held”, and 155 were considered under control, according to the fire center.

The fires are all over Canada. The National Weather Service in the U.S. said today that west to northwesterly winds (meaning coming from the west and the northwest) are coming from south-central Canada and that air quality is likely to remain poor.

The heat in far southern Texas yesterday was almost 10 degrees higher than in California’s notoriously hot Death Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

Rio Grande Village, Texas, which is in Big Bend National Park, had a high observed temperature of 115 degrees yesterday — which was the highest recorded temperature in the U.S. — compared to 109 degrees at the Death Valley visitors center in Furnace Creek, it said.

Texas has been sweltering under high temperatures, but today excessive heat warnings covered most of the Southern U.S.

Today, the high observed temperature at Furnace Creek in Death Valley was 107 degrees, said Matt Woods, a meteorologist for the weather service in Las Vegas.

While 109 and 107 most likely feel hot enough to visitors, temperatures at Death Valley peak around the second half of July, when average temperatures are 118 degrees, Woods said.

New Orleans has broken a record set 13 years ago for excessive heat warnings, according to the city and the National Weather Service.

Excessive heat warnings are in place through Friday, which will make the eighth day such a warning has been in effect this year, the weather service said.

The previous record was five days, set in 2010.

There had been four days of excessive heat warnings before the current heat event, the weather service said. Tomorrow’s will be the seventh warning, and Friday’s will be the eighth.

“It will be hot. Again...,” the weather service tweeted today, with an emoji of a melting smiling face.

Heat index values could be 115 to 120 degrees.

Among all the weather-related deaths in the U.S. each year, heat is the leading killer, the National Weather Service warned today.

“Take it seriously,” the weather service said on social media on a day when more than 46 million people were under excessive heat warnings and almost 62 million were under heat advisories across the country.

Last year, 148 people died of heat-related illness, according to the weather service, and the year before that 375 died.

The blistering heat in Webb County, Texas, has led to the deaths of at least nine people in eight days, the medical examiner said at a county government meeting Monday.

“We don’t see this in our county. Laredo knows heat, Webb County knows heat. And I think our county was caught a little off guard,” Dr. Corinne Stern said. “These are unprecedented temperatures here.”

The Associated Press, citing Stern, today reported two additional deaths in Webb County, which is on the U.S.-Mexico border. NBC News was unable to immediately reach the medical examiner’s office after business hours.

The temperature in Laredo was 105 degrees with a heat index of 110 degrees as of 6:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Stern warned residents at Monday’s meeting to protect themselves and to check on elderly relatives and neighbors.

“What we’ve heard so many times in these nine deaths I’ve seen this week is ‘Well, he knew it was hot and he was going to get the air conditioner fixed’ or ‘Oh no, he says he’s been through this many times; he said he was going to be OK,’” she said. “But this is heat like we’ve not seen here before.”

Baseball in the 'Burgh continued as planned Wednesday night. Before the first pitch, the Pittsburgh Pirates tweeted that they still planned to host Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres but said they would continue to monitor the air quality index level around the ballpark.

"We have been in contact with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, our team of expert medical providers at Allegheny Health Network, and city and county officials regarding the current and projected air quality index in our area," the tweet read.

Fans had the opportunity to exchange their tickets for tickets to a future game as long as they did so before the game start at 7:05 ET. For more information, click here.

The Pirates prevailed, 7-1.

A Washington, D.C.-area nonprofit organization is urging sensitive groups to avoid outdoor activities Thursday.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recommended on Twitter that certain susceptible groups should avoid “long or intense outdoor activities” and consider rescheduling those activities or moving them indoors.

The group also advised healthy people to limit outside activities.

A health advisory was issued for tomorrow in New York because air quality is predicted to reach unhealthy levels, state officials said.

The advisory is in effect from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., state officials said.

Air levels are expected to deteriorate for the western and central regions of the state, along with eastern Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks, according to a joint statement from Basil Seggos, the commissioner of the state Environmental Conservation Department, and Dr. James McDonald, the state health commissioner.

The advisory warns that everyone may begin to experience health effects and that members of sensitive groups may face more serious effects.

People with heart or breathing problems, the elderly and children may be more susceptible to exposure.

Health officials also recommend minimizing exposure both indoors and outdoors where fine particle concentrations may be higher.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson urged young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors and pledged “swift action to ensure that vulnerable individuals have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families.”

Minnesota issued a record 23rd air quality alert for the year through late tonight as smoky skies obscured the skylines of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were among other states issuing air quality alerts, and cities including Louisville, Kentucky, also advised people to limit prolonged or intense outdoor activity.

DETROIT — Smoky air from Canada’s wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and Kentucky today, prompting warnings to stay inside and aggravating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution.

The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had the worst air quality in the U.S. today, leading the Environmental Protection Agency to warn that “everyone should stay indoors.”

“The more breaths you’re taking, you’re inhaling, literally, a fire, camp smoke, into your lungs,” said Darren Riley, who was diagnosed with asthma in 2018, a few years after he arrived in Detroit.

“Many communities face this way too often,” said Riley, who is Black. “And while this wildfire smoke allows, unfortunately, many people to feel this burden, this is a burden that far too long communities have faced day in and day out.”

The Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov site showed Detroit in the “hazardous” range. Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Pittsburgh all have “very unhealthy” air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.

In the U.S., the smoke is worsening air quality issues for poor and Black communities that already are more likely to live near polluting plants, and in rental housing with mold and other triggers.

Detroit’s southwest side is home to a number of sprawling refineries and manufacturing plants. It is one of the poorest parts of the city.

There were almost 400 emergency room visits in North Carolina for heat-related illnesses through mid-June, officials said as they continue to urge residents to take the proper precautions.

Public health officials with the state's Department of Health and Human Services advised North Carolinians to stay wary of signs of heat-related illness, including fatigue, weakness, fainting, vomiting and muscle cramps. Anyone experiencing those symptoms is told to drink water, move to a cool place and seek medical attention.

Health officials also said the state's heat report shows that through June 17, there were 361 ER visits for heat-related illnesses. Cooling assistance is available for people who are eligible, the health department said.

A dramatic time-lapse released yesterday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed how much extreme heat has intensified over Mexico and the Central and Southern U.S. since the beginning of May.

The visualization depicts changes in surface air temperatures from May 1 through Sunday. As June progresses, much of Texas becomes engulfed in deep red as dangerously high temperatures spread across the state and into neighboring regions.

The weeks of hot and humid conditions were driven by a heat dome that stagnated over Texas and Mexico. The weather service said the dome of high pressure is expanding into the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Southeast.

The heat time-lapse was created using data collected by the Joint Polar Satellite System, which NOAA operates with NASA.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expanded the air quality health advisory today to include the entire state as she announced that her office will use, for the first time, emergency cellphone alerts to inform residents if the air quality index passes the threshold for "very unhealthy" air for more than an hour.

"With smoke from the Canadian wildfires once again impacting air quality throughout our state this week, we’re urging New Yorkers to remain vigilant," she said in a statement. "We’re activating emergency cell phone alerts to ensure New Yorkers have the latest information and are continuing to coordinate with local counties to monitor conditions and distribute masks.

"I encourage all New Yorkers to stay informed about the latest updates and take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones," Hochul added.

Air across western and central New York, as well as the eastern Lake Ontario region, was forecast to be "unhealthy," her office said in a news release. The rest of the state, including New York City and Long Island, was forecast to be "unhealthy for sensitive groups."

For those in need of N95-style masks, Hochul said, hundreds of thousands have been made available. Fire officials tweeted earlier today that masks would be available free at local stations. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Port Authority and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will also hand out masks at major transit hubs and state parks, Hochul said.

Additional masks are being made available from state-run stockpiles for people in counties outside the city.

Northwestern Medicine’s lung clinic has seen a 10% increase in patients calling with questions and concerns about the air quality in Chicago, said Dr. Michelle Prickett, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at the clinic.

Extended exposure to the smoke can worsen inflammation in the lungs, she said. “It may lead to more emergency room visits and if not improved, ICU admissions will increase in the coming days if the bad air quality continues.”

People with conditions like asthma are particularly at risk.

“People with underlying asthma may increase their inhaler use at home, and if that doesn’t work after a few days, they come to the hospital and may end up intubated,” Prickett said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said a “code red air quality action day” is in effect today, as wildfire smoke causes pollution levels to spike over much of the state.

The agency advised young children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory problems to avoid outdoor activities and recommended that everyone limit exertion while the code red remains in effect.

“Concentrations of smoke will likely be high throughout the day in western Pennsylvania and increasing throughout the day in eastern Pennsylvania,” officials said in a statement.

The agency said wildfire smoke will likely linger over the state through Friday, with conditions possibly improving Saturday.

More square miles of land have been burned in this wildfire season than in any other of the past four decades.

The New York City Fire Department will hand out free N95 or KN95 masks as the city continues to grapple with air quality issues.

Blistering triple-digit temperatures across Texas this week have the state rivaling the hottest locations on the planet, including the Sahara desert and parts of the Persian Gulf.

Texas has for weeks been baking under a severe, early-season heat wave that is now spreading into the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Southeast.

Over the past week, several cities in Texas, including San Angelo and Del Rio, have hit or surpassed 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) — temperatures that are more common at this time of year in parts of northern Africa and the Middle East.

Read the full story here.

The air quality in the Detroit area is at an unhealthy level, the state's Health Department said today. Officials urged people to limit their time outdoors and to avoid any strenuous outdoor activity.

"We are continually monitoring the situation and are in close contact with our partners at EGLE, the City’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, as well as the City’s Environmental division," the acting Chief Public Health Officer, Christina Floyd, said in a statement.

An air quality alert was issued for today and tomorrow in southeast Michigan by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the health department said in a news release. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index said the air quality rating was "purple," indicating an unhealthy level.

"As conditions warrant, we will provide additional updates and guidance to help make sure our residents stay safe,” Floyd said.

Showers and severe thunderstorms are expected over parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Forecasters said today that persistent upper-level energy over the Northeast will lead to showers and thunderstorms through Friday. Rain showers and severe thunderstorms over parts of Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota are also expected, the weather service said, warning that frequent lightning, wind gusts, hail and a few tornadoes are possible.

As parts of the country will be hammered by thunderstorms and showers, other regions including the upper and middle Mississippi Valley, the central Appalachians, the Great Lakes regions, western Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic will experience reduced air quality because of the Canadian wildfires.

As many grapple with poor air quality due to Canadian wildfire smoke, around 69 million people are under heat alerts, which have now expanded to include not only the South and the Southeast, but also the Midwest and California.

As we head into the holiday weekend, temperatures will ramp up almost everywhere countrywide.

The high temperatures combined with high humidity will lead to dangerously hot heat index values of 100+ that could lead to heat illness.

For the southern tier and the Midwest, record highs will be possible through Saturday for places such as Austin, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Memphis and Tampa.

For California, the high heat will arrive over the weekend.

In the span of 24 hours, wildfire smoke blanketed parts of Pittsburgh covering the downtown.

This morning, the weather service in Pittsburgh tweeted two images showing the drastic change.

Drivers in southeast Michigan are being urged to use caution when traveling as weather forecasters in Detroit warn that visibility will be restricted to a quarter mile or less.

The weather service for the Detroit area said in a tweet Wednesday that the "restrictions will persist until around 10 am for much of southeast MI."

Smoke from Canadian wildfires can be seen here drifting over the U.S. during the last 24 hours:

Tomorrow morning, the smoke will likely still be in many of the same areas impacted today, but it's expected to be more dispersed, especially going into the afternoon hours.

Around 87 million people are at risk of poor air quality from the wildfire smoke and ozone impacts, with air quality alerts up for a large part of the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes regions, as well as parts of the mid-Atlantic and the Southeast.

Large metro areas under air quality alerts include: Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Louisville, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Raleigh, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

By this afternoon, the most dense surface smoke is anticipated to be over parts of central Illinois, southern Indiana, central Kentucky, northern Tennessee, northern Georgia and much of West Virginia.

Minneapolis has joined Detroit and Chicago in having some of the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir.com.

Detroit was second only to Dubai in having the worst air quality in the world, with Chicago having the third-worst air quality.

Earlier today, Toronto was listed as having the fourth-worst air quality, but it has now been replaced by Minneapolis.

Washington, D.C., was listed as having the 11th-worst air quality.

The New York City Health Department warned that air quality conditions could deteriorate today and get worse tomorrow.

"Poor air quality can affect people differently, so individuals must assess their own sensitivities and adjust to conditions at the time," it said in a news release.

"While we currently project air quality index (AQI) to be in the moderate range (between 51-100) today, wind patterns can quickly change without notice," the agency said.

At an AQI of 101-150, it said, people who are likely to be most sensitive to a reduction in air quality and who should take precautions include children, older adults and people of all ages with heart or breathing problems.

The wildfire smoke from Canada is expected to reduce air quality over swaths of the U.S., including the upper and middle Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes region, the western Ohio Valley, the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic, the weather service said in its latest update.

The situation has prompted air quality warnings over the affected areas, the agency said in its early morning update.

Toxicologists with Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy have explained why Canadian wildfire smoke might smell "like burning plastic" to some.

The department shared a statement from its toxicology team on Twitter via a post from meteorologist Chris Easlick, who had asked the team why the smoke appeared to have a "plastic smell."

"Wood fires emit a lot of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most of these VOCs are noticeable to our notices as the familiar "campfire" smell, but they break down quickly when exposed to UV radiation from sunlight," the toxicology team said in its response.

"Other VOCs, like benzene, formaldehyde and acrolein are also released and they outlast the 'campfire VOCs. It's these chemical compounds that you're smelling as the smoke wafts around for a few days and settles to the ground and reaches your noise," it said.

The Chicago skyline appeared hazy from the 360 Chicago observation deck of the John Hancock building as heavy smoke from the Canadian wildfires moved through the city yesterday.

Michigan residents have been warned that air quality across the state is being impacted by the wildfire smoke from Canada.

Air quality alerts have been issued "ranging from moderate to hazardous on the air quality index," Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy warned on its website.

"Residents in impacted areas should be aware and take steps to limit exposure when possible," it said.

New York is expecting to see the air quality in the state deteriorate today and tomorrow, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

An air quality health advisory for fine particulate matter was issued yesterday for western New York, central New York and the eastern Lake Ontario region for today, with additional impacts expected tomorrow, her office announced.

“Smoke from Canadian wildfires is forecast to significantly impact air quality across New York,” Hochul said. “We continue to closely monitor conditions and will be distributing masks in regions impacted by the smoke. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay up to date on the latest information and take appropriate steps to protect their health.” 

She directed the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to alert impacted communities via a wireless emergency alert system in the event that ‘very unhealthy’ or ‘hazardous’ levels are reached, her office said.

Transportation agencies and authorities have also been directed to provide warnings on public transportation and on variable message signs along roadways, with N95 style masks to be available to New Yorkers statewide, it said.

Fans watch a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs as smoke from the Canadian wildfires shrouds Wrigley Field in Chicago yesterday.

The northern part of the U.S. near the Great Lakes could have poor air quality for “the next few days” thanks to a low-pressure system, the weather service warned yesterday.

The forecast area of low pressure “will tap the ongoing wildfire smoke of south central Canada, sending it southward in the counter clockwise flow,” it said in a forecast discussion.

Health officials in affected areas issued air quality alerts yesterday. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an air quality alert until midnight tonight, and Wisconsin’s air quality advisory lasts until noon tomorrow.

Millions of people will be waking up today to poor air quality as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket Chicago, Detroit and much of the Great Lakes region.

Detroit had the second-worst air quality in the world, second only to Dubai, as of early this morning, according to the tracking service IQAir.com. Chicago had the third-worst air quality.

Meanwhile, the major Canadian city of Toronto, which is about 230 miles northeast of Detroit, had the fourth-worst air quality conditions in the world, according to IQAir.com.

The situation prompted the weather service to issue air quality alerts for northeastern Illinois, northwestern Indiana and southeast Michigan for yesterday and today.