Smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada has significantly impacted air quality across several states in the Midwest, including Illinois and Minnesota. The dense haze created by this smoke has triggered health warnings and air quality alerts, affecting daily life and prompting officials to issue guidelines for vulnerable populations.
The Chicago-area was hit extremely hard with our air quality due to the smoke covering the area. Forecasts are suggesting the Canadian wildfire smoke could reach as far south as Tennessee and Missouri. Climatologists and meteorologists have been tracking similarly strange occurrences that prove this isn’t a trend. Lately, it’s unfortunately turned into a faded hallmark of summer in the Midwest.
Impact on Air Quality
Joseph Strus, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, was dispatching high water updates to media and emergency responders from Saint Paul. As for air quality compromise, he noted that areas of Minnesota recorded air quality index values that went above unhealthy levels this past weekend. This led to air quality warnings and advisories throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, eastern Nebraska, and parts of Indiana and Illinois.
According to the world air quality monitoring IQAir database, Minneapolis is currently one of the cities most affected by acute air pollution. This is mostly attributed to the smoke preventing sunlight from reaching the ground. The air quality index categorizes pollution into six levels: below 50 is deemed “healthy,” 50-100 is “moderate,” 100-150 is considered unhealthy for “sensitive groups,” and values above 150 are harmful for everyone.
“We’ve sort of been dealing with this, day in and day out, where you walk outside and you can taste the smoke, you can smell it,” – Joe Strus
State officials have acknowledged that this latest stretch of bad air quality has lasted over three days. Specifically, they advised residents that long-term smoke exposure could have serious health effects. Children, older adults and especially those with asthma, other lung diseases and heart conditions should be most vigilant on this warning.
Health Recommendations
In response to the worsening air quality, public health officials have urged people in sensitive groups to avoid outdoor exertion. This month’s air quality alerts are a stark reminder that keeping a close watch on pollution levels is critical. If you live in an impacted area, limit your time indoors as much as possible. If you have air filtration systems available, use them.
Strus stressed that this was indicative of a broader trend in summer extreme weather for the Midwest. He points out that while every day may have some level of smoke, some days will have a much larger concentration. Now it’s the new normal to wake up with hazy skies and unhealthy air quality.
“What’s been unique in this go-around is that we’ve had this prolonged stretch of smoke particulates towards the surface, so that’s where we’ve really had the air quality in the red here for the past few days,” – Joe Strus
These alerts haven’t stopped local residents from taking to the streets and trails. Photos emerged of sunbathers clogging the Lakefront Trail on Chicago’s North Side. Even with the visibly bad air quality, they were totally unbothered.
Long-Term Trends
As meteorologists such as Strus understand, soaring Canadian wildfire smoke is an inescapable new reality of Midwest summers. What’s changed is enduring daily life for people across the region. Climate change is making these smoke events more frequent and intense, leading to cascading effects on environmental health and overall public health.
“This is something that’s become part of our summer here the last few years,” – Joe Strus
As they wait, many residents are wishing for a shift in the weather to clear the smoke-filled skies. Behind that relief is an anxiety that forebodes the coming wildfire seasons and their effects on air quality. Strus expressed optimism that upcoming shifts in wind patterns could alleviate some of the heavy smoke currently affecting the region.
“I think a lot of us are just looking forward to seeing a little more movement in the atmospheric winds and we’ll be able to hopefully disperse some of the smoke out of here in the next few days,” – Joe Strus