Climate Wildfires Smoke Washington

The U.S. Capitol is seen, as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington.

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Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes farther into the US and engulfs DC in haze

Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes farther into the US and engulfs DC in haze

Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are muddling through another day of unhealthy air from uncontrolled wildfires in Minnesota and Canada. The nation’s capital was enveloped in an eerie haze Friday. And Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians postponed their game against Pittsburgh Pirates in Ohio. Air quality warnings are expected to remain in effect at least through Saturday in parts of the U.S. There’s potential for temporary relief with storms forecast over the weekend. But a forecaster at the National Weather Service says smoky conditions are expected to last as fires continue to burn largely unchecked.