Canadian wildfire smoke continues blowing into Upper Midwest, Great Lakes
Smoke-tracking forecast models indicate a dense plume will continues to drift into the Upper Midwest and parts of the Ohio Valley on Tuesday.
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DULUTH, Minn. – It’s the unwanted guest that won’t stay away. Another thick plume of smoke from wildfires burning in western and central Canada is blowing across the border into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region this week.
A plume of smoke drifted across northern Minnesota on Sunday and pushed into the Great Lakes region on Monday.
(FOX Weather)
As we head toward the middle of the week, smoke-tracking forecast models predict the smoke will begin to drift into areas of the Ohio Valley and Northeast, but it’s not expected to be anywhere near as bad as what the region saw in June when smoke turned the sky above New York City an eerie orange color.
![Washington DC wildfire smoke]()
Image 1 of 21A cyclist rides under a blanket of haze partially obscuring the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2023. (Mandel NGAN / AFP)
![The Washington Memorial stands in hazy smoke on June 8, 2023 in Washington, DC. Air quality alert has been elevated to a Code Purple in Washington due to smoke from wildfires burning in Canada, indicating very unhealthy air conditions for the public.]()
Image 2 of 21The Washington Memorial stands in hazy smoke on June 8, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong)
![Wildfire smoke from Canada is having a widespread and significant impact on air quality in New York City.]()
Image 3 of 21Wildfire smoke from Canada is having a widespread and significant impact on air quality in New York City. (FOX Weather)
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Image 4 of 21WASHINGTON, DC- JUNE 07: Tourists visit the World War II Memorial under hazy skies caused by Canadian wildfires on June 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. Air quality levels remain in red for most of the East Coast due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 5 of 21WASHINGTON, DC- JUNE 07: Tourists visit the Lincoln Memorial under hazy skies caused by Canadian wildfires on June 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. Air quality levels remain in red for most of the East Coast due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) ( )
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 6 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 7 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 8 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 9 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 10 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 11 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 12 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 13 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 14 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![Air quality hit harmful levels across eastern US from Canada's wildfires]()
Image 15 of 21Scenes across New York City are seen on June 7, 2023, amid hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. People in the city other areas are expected to have another day of bad air Thursday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality advisories continue to be in place for all five boroughs of the city of more than 8 million people. (Ezio Cairoli)
![A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York.]()
Image 16 of 21A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) (New York Yankees)
![A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York.]()
Image 17 of 21A general view of hazy conditions resulting from Canadian wildfires at Yankee Stadium before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees on June 7, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) (New York Yankees)
![Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blows South Creating Hazy Conditions On Large Swath Of Eastern U.S.]()
Image 18 of 21NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 7: Traffic goes over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge as smoke from Canadian wildfires casts a haze over the area on June 7, 2023 in New York City. Air pollution alerts were issued across the United States due to smoke from wildfires that have been burning in Canada for weeks. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
![Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink_bruce/Twitter)]()
Image 19 of 21Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink_bruce/Twitter) ( )
![Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink_bruce/Twitter)]()
Image 20 of 21Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink_bruce/Twitter) ( )
![Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink\_bruce/Twitter)]()
Image 21 of 21Canadian wildfire smoke over Kewaskum, Wisconsin early on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo: Sunrise@klink_bruce/Twitter) ( )
"Really watch your AQI as we head through the next couple of days, especially if you’re in the Upper Midwest with that smoke invading parts of the area," FOX Weather meteorologist Kiyana Lewis said.
The smoke has even been spotted from space.
NOAA’s GOES-East satellite spotted the smoke plume moving into the northern U.S. on Monday.
Unhealthy air quality reported
(FOX Weather)
The worst air quality has been reported from the Upper Midwest through the Great Lakes region, but areas of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan are experiencing the worst of it.
"Unhealthy" air quality levels have been reported Tuesday morning in parts of eastern Wisconsin, including around the Milwaukee area.
54 million under Air Quality Alerts in the US
The smoke has left more than 54 million people from Minnesota to Ohio under Air Quality Alerts Tuesday, and those may expand depending on where the Canadian wildfire smoke heads next, and how thick it will be.
Major cities across the region are included in the Air Quality Alerts through at least Tuesday, including Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Madison
(FOX Weather)
WHAT TO DO WHEN WILDFIRE SMOKE SMOTHERS YOUR AREA, AND HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME'S AIR CLEAN
Nearly 1,000 wildfires continue to burn in Canada, of which over 600 are considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Fires have scorched nearly 28 million acres so far as 2023 cements itself as one of the worst wildfire seasons on record in Canada, with several weeks still remaining in wildfire season.
An aerial view of Young Creek wildfire in British Columbia, Canada on July 16, 2023.
(BC Wildfire Service / Handout/Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)
Back in the US, localized wildfire smoke issues are possible in the Pacific Northwest into Montana due to wildfires burning in Oregon and Montana.