Poor air quality live updates: Chicago and Detroit smothered by Canadian wildfire smoke

New York expecting air quality to deteriorate, Hochul says

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

An air quality health advisory for fine particulate matter was issued on Tuesday for Western New York, Central New York, and Eastern Lake Ontario for Wednesday, with additional impacts expected Thursday, her office announced.

“Smoke from Canadian wildfires is forecasted 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.” 

Hochul 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 N-95 style masks to be available to New Yorkers statewide, it said.

Photo: Wildfire smoke shrouds Wrigley Field

Max Butterworth

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

Poor air quality could last for days

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 National Weather Service warned Tuesday.

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

Health officials in affected areas issued air quality alerts Tuesday. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an air quality alert until midnight Wednesday night, and Wisconsin’s air quality advisory lasts until Thursday at noon.

Millions of people will be waking up Wednesday 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 Wednesday morning, according to tracking service IQAir.com. Chicago had the third worst air quality.

Meanwhile, major Canadian city 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 National Weather Service to issue air quality alerts for northeastern Illinois, northwestern Indiana and all of southeast Michigan for Tuesday and Wednesday.