Toxic air crisis grips US as three major cities rank as most dangerous to breathe worldwide
The US is being ravaged by a major clean air crisis as toxic fumes from Canadian wildfires blanket the nation.
New York’s skyline was shrouded in smoke, while Chicago health officials closed all of the city’s beaches and outdoor pools to protect residents from the smog.
Americans across the Northeast and Upper Midwest were urged to stay indoors and even wear masks, with authorities warning that the hazardous air quality would last until Friday afternoon.
It comes as three major cities – Detroit, Minneapolis and Chicago – were ranked as having the worst air quality in the world.
Detroit topped IQAir’s live global air quality rankings with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 566, making it the most polluted major city in the world at the time of the reading.
Locals reported it smelling like ‘a bonfire that you can’t escape,’ saying the smoke is seeping into buildings. Minneapolis ranked second with an AQI of 289, followed by Chicago at 259.
Readings between 201 and 300 are classified as ‘very unhealthy,’ with health officials warning that all residents could experience adverse effects from prolonged exposure.
The three US cities surpass locations in South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan, which typically have the worst air quality on average, with yearly pollution averages 15 to 20 times higher than safe limits.
Detroit topped IQAir’s live global air quality rankings with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 566, making it the most polluted major city in the world at the time of the reading
Minneapolis ranked second with an AQI of 289
Officials have warned that wildfire smoke drifting into the US contains fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, microscopic toxic particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
State and local health officials in all three cities have issued air quality alerts, urging residents to limit time outdoors until conditions improve.
Americans have reported headaches, burning eyes and irritated throats throughout the day.
Rachel Philips wrote on Facebook that downtown Chicago had disappeared behind the smoke.
‘This is far worse than the summer two and three years ago,’ she said. ‘It hurts to breathe, and I don’t have health issues!’
At least 14 states have been engulfed by toxic wildfire smoke, including Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
Hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Canada, sending smoke into densely populated areas of the US.
Michigan is under a statewide air quality alert after plumes from Canadian wildfires spread through the Upper Peninsula and continued sinking south toward the Indiana border.
The sprawling emergency comes as hundreds of wildfires continue burning across Canada (pictured), sending smoke across the border and into densely populated sections of the US
New York’s sky appeared orange on Thursday as wildfire smoke blanketed Manhattan
At least 14 states have been engulfed in the toxic wildfire smoke, including Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey
The warning covers major population centers, including Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Traverse City, Marquette and communities throughout northern Michigan.
Residents were urged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and watch for wheezing, coughing, dizziness, chest tightness or burning in the eyes, nose and throat.
Officials also recommended closing windows and running central air conditioning with a MERV-13 filter or higher, where available, to reduce the amount of smoke entering homes.
Conditions are also severe in Minnesota, where portions of the state have reached the maroon, or hazardous, category.
Chicago ranks third-worst in the world at 259. On the US AQI scale, any reading above 300 is considered ‘hazardous,’ meaning the air poses serious health risks for everyone.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said dense smoke had already produced hourly readings that surpassed previous records in the Twin Cities, while trace amounts of ash had been observed.
Officials warned that everyone was likely to be affected by the pollution in central and northeastern Minnesota and advised the general public to avoid all outdoor physical activity.
Local Tammy Johnson wrote on Facebook: ‘Instant headache anytime I stepped outside, and then it would take 20 to 30 minutes to resolve [once] back in the house.
‘I have never experienced that before with wildfire smoke that we have had the last few summers.’
In northern Illinois, the state Environmental Protection Agency declared a red air pollution action day for Rockford and all six Chicago-area forecast zones.
Chicago resident Michelle Turner told ABC7: ‘This smoke that is in the air, it’s very irritating. You can hardly breathe.’
She said her eyes and throat had been burning throughout the day, even while wearing a mask.
A thick haze covered most of New York City on Thursday
National Guard soldiers hand out face masks to commuters at Grand Central Terminal as haze from Canadian wildfires blankets Manhattan
The National Weather Service (NWS) said the region was sitting on the edge of a thick plume of surface smoke moving south from Canada, although uncertainty remained over how far it would advance.
Chicago, Evanston, Joliet, Aurora, Naperville, Waukegan, Rockford and surrounding communities were included in the alert, which was scheduled to continue until midnight Thursday.
Everyone in those areas was told to reduce prolonged outdoor activity or heavy exertion, while children, older adults and people with respiratory illnesses were advised to avoid it.
Neighboring parts of Indiana, including Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties, were placed under an air quality action day because PM2.5 was expected to reach the unhealthy range.
New York issued fine-particle advisories across much of the state, including New York City (pictured), Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and communities near the Canadian border
Chicago health officials also shut down all of the city’s beaches and outdoor pools to protect residents from the potentially life-threatening conditions
The alert included Gary, Hammond, Merrillville, Portage, Valparaiso and communities immediately south and east of Chicago.
Ohio issued an advisory for the entire state, warning that Canadian wildfire smoke would push air quality into the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups category.
Northeastern Ohio faced some of the most dangerous conditions, with a maroon alert issued for counties around Cleveland, Akron and Lake Erie.
Pennsylvania was placed under a statewide Code Red alert, unhealthy for everyone, on Thursday as smoke from Ontario and Minnesota moved into the state from north to south.
Officials said everyone could experience health effects, while members of sensitive groups faced the possibility of more serious problems.
People were out in about in Detriot even with the health warnings in place
The smoke was expected to linger into Friday, when Pennsylvania’s alert was forecast to ease to Code Orange, which will be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
New York issued fine-particle advisories across much of the state, including New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and communities near the Canadian border.
Forecast AQI readings exceeded 200 in parts of western New York, placing the pollution in the very unhealthy category.
Alerts also stretched across New England, covering all or portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as northern New Jersey.
West Virginia’s northern counties, including communities around Wheeling and Weirton, were also placed under a Code Orange alert specifically because of elevated particles from Canadian wildfire smoke.
