Massive air pollution from smoke from wildfires in Canada has moved past Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, and other least affected cities to now threaten 11 states across the northern Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes region Sunday.
According to forecasts, 60 million people from Montana to New York, would see decreased visibility and poor air quality, including residents of St. Louis, Cedar Rapids, and Cleveland.
A large part of the northern Plains from Montana through Illinois saw their Air Quality Index fall to the “unhealthy” range – Level 4 of 6, on Sunday.
National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center said there was hope as the pollution should start to decline on Monday.
“While the concentration of smoke in the atmosphere should begin to wane by Monday, there is still enough smoke to support unhealthy air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups in parts of these regions into the start of the upcoming week,” the Weather Service said.
The Governor of New York Kathy Hochul said that the state will begin putting up emergency notifications on roads and making masks available for distribution.
“The smoke is expected to cause the Air Quality Index to reach levels in Upstate communities that are ‘Unhealthy for All’ New Yorkers,” she said in a news release.
The air pollution in the United States is caused by a massive fire in Canada’s province of British Columbia which started last week. According to the British Columbia Wildfire Service, the wildfires culminated from 400 different ignitions started by 51,000 lightning strikes from thunderstorms.
Some of those thunderstorms were “dry” or produced inconsequential amounts of rain to help quench any fires – a dangerous prospect in a province experiencing the worst level of drought.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there were almost 900active wildfiresin Canada on Saturday, burning from coast to coast. Canadian wildfires have burned about 10 million hectares this year, an area estimated to bethe size of the state of Indiana.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advised people toclose all windows and doorsduring heavy smoke, most especially overnight. People are also advised to limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability also advised people in impacted areas to limit exposure when possible.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that Particulates from the smokecan irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, and aged adults, babies, young children, and people with heart or lung diseases, including asthma, are at a higher risk.
The pollutants have also been linked to more serious long-term health issues like lung cancer.
Firefighters Die In Service
Two firefightershave died in Canada battling the wildfires. One died on Saturday and another firefighter died Thursday responding to one of the blazes near Revelstoke, British Columbia, a press release from the firefighter’s union said.
“We regret to share the tragic news that a firefighter from Fort Liard has passed away from an injury sustained while fighting a wildfire in the Fort Liard District Saturday afternoon,” Canada’s Northwest Territoriessaid in a statement.
“The news from British Columbia – that one of the firefighters bravely battling wildfires has lost her life – is heartbreaking,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted. “At this incredibly difficult time, I’m sending my deepest condolences to her family, her friends, and her fellow firefighters.”
