New York Wildfires

When wildfires burn, smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, posing risks to those breathing it. Fires burning in one state can make the air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities. Here’s what to know about precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires. Experts say people should take precautions such as wearing an N95 mask while outdoors or heading inside and closing the windows. Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke, but even if you don’t see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe.

Heavy smoke from wildfires is darkening skies from the U.S. Midwest to the East Coast. The smoke on Thursday prompted warnings that breathing the air outside could be dangerous for people. The smoke is coming from fires that are burning primarily in Canada but also in northern Minnesota. A National Weather Service Meteorologist in Detroit says a lingering high pressure system has trapped the smoke close to the ground. Officials in many cities are urging residents to stay inside or wear masks outside as air quality reaches unhealthy to hazardous levels, meaning it’s unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions.