Air quality alerts return to US ahead smoke impacts from Canadian wildfires
Smoke from wildfires burning in western Canada is making a return to t꧑he US, with air quality alerts issued for communities in the Upper Midwest to start thꦆe weekend.
Hundreds of wildfires continue to b☂urn north of the US-Canada borde🐠r, but the positions of weather systems over the next few days will help usher in a new💃 round of smoke that could impact Mon𝔍tana, the Dakotas, Minnesota and reach as far south as Nebraska and Iowa.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said it expects the Air Quality Index to reach at least a value of 100, which will make the air unheaಞlthy on Friday and Saturday.
The AQI ranges from 0 to 500, with smaller values indicating cleaner air and any reading above 300 bein♎g hazardo🌃us.
The agency warns people with asthma, heart disease, and the y🌳oung and old might experience sensitivities๊ with the latest bout of smoke.
Forecast models show smoke thickening through Friday over the Plains and Upper Midwest before pushing of𒁃f 𝓰to the east and possibly impacting the air quality aroun🦩d the Great Lakesꦜ on Saturday and Sunday.
Smoke from wildfires in June engulfed major c𝓀ities along the Interstate 95 corridor, ♒which made for hazy skies and reduced visibilities.
Air quality readings reached hazardous levels in Philadelphia, New York and other communities downwind of fires burning in Queb𒈔ec.
Major outdoor events, including several Major League Baseball games, were post𓂃poned due to the💖 risk health officials said existed with prolonged exposure.
An unusually dry start to the year and a significant heat wave has led to more than 3,40✅0 fires ac♎ross Canada, according to a government dashboard.
Across the country, wildfires have destroyed nearly 22 million acres, which is about the size of Indiana.
Firefighters from 💝around a dozen countries are working to try to help contain the blazes in what has been deemed the country’s worst fire season on record.
An increase in thunders🃏torms has brought drought relief to some provinces, but the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre said lightning has triggered🍎 hundreds of new blazes.
The FOX Forecast Center said due to prevailing💃 weather patterns, the Northeast is not expected to see a heavy layer of smoke dꩲuring the next several days.
