Heavy smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada engulfed a vast region of the U.S., stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast, on Thursday. In response, officials issued warnings, advising residents to stay indoors whenever possible and avoid the toxic, unhealthy air.
According to monitoring company IQAir, Detroit experienced the worst air quality in the world on Thursday, with a reading of 600. This level is twice the threshold considered “hazardous” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Federal data revealed hazardous levels of smoke across several states, including Minnesota, Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Ohio, and into Ontario. Notably, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Toronto all recorded hazardous air quality readings. Ten states, ranging from Minnesota to Maryland, had at least some locations with an “unhealthy” air quality reading.
The smoke was expected to worsen throughout the day. In New York, where the sky was tinged with an orange haze and the air smelled acrid, local officials urged residents to limit their outdoor time and cautioned those with risk factors, such as heart and lung disease, the pregnant or the elderly, to remain inside.
The dangerous conditions in the New York area came just days before the FIFA World Cup final is set to be played in nearby New Jersey on Sunday in front of more than 80,000 fans.
“Today is expected to be the worst day of this event,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at an event on Thursday. “At ‘unhealthy’ levels, everyone – not just people with asthma or heart conditions, not just older adults – everyone may feel health effects. So today, every New Yorker should take precautions.”
The city is handing out free KN95 face masks at hundreds of libraries, police precincts and firehouses, the mayor said.
As of Thursday morning, there were 858 active fires across Canada, including 111 considered out of control, according to government data. Most of the fires were in the central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
