Thick smoke from raging wildfires in Canada has drifted over a third of the United States, casting a grey haze across skies from the Midwest to the Deep South.
At least 212 fires were active across Canada as of Tuesday, with more than half burning out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The bulk of the blazes are in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan—regions battling the worst start to a wildfire season in years.
“We have some challenging days ahead of us,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said at a press briefing. “The number of evacuees could rise quickly.”
In Manitoba, where entire communities have been forced to flee, the government has declared a province-wide state of emergency. More than 17,000 residents were ordered to evacuate by Tuesday evening.
Photos from the region show firefighting aircraft circling thick plumes of smoke in the skies above Nopiming Provincial Park. Fires in the area have already consumed over 2 million hectares of land—an area nearly the size of New Jersey.
Back in the US, forecasters say the smoke has travelled far and wide, reaching as far south as Georgia. The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland confirmed that hazy conditions were reported from the Dakotas to New York and New England.
“Much of the smoke is aloft in the upper atmosphere,” said Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the agency. “But in places like New York and Connecticut, it’s lower down—and that’s where it starts to affect air quality.”
Air quality alerts were issued for large swathes of the Northeast and Midwest. Some areas, including parts of Massachusetts, recorded dangerously high levels of air pollution.
In Williamstown, Massachusetts, the air quality index spiked to 228 on Wednesday morning—a rating considered “very unhealthy.” According to IQAir, an index above 100 is harmful to sensitive groups, while readings above 200 can affect everyone.
In contrast, New York City and Washington, D.C. saw more moderate numbers, with readings just above 50. Still, those with asthma or heart conditions were advised to limit outdoor activity.
Minnesota, which was among the hardest hit earlier this week, saw some improvement. Ely, near the Canadian border, dropped from a “hazardous” 336 on Tuesday to a “moderate” 65 by Wednesday. Minneapolis, once ranked as the third-worst city globally for air quality, also improved slightly, now at 96.
But the health risks remain.
“This smoke contains tiny particles, some of which are toxic,” said Dr Yang Liu, a professor of environmental health at Emory University. “They can slip deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream.”
Children, the elderly, and those with existing health issues are most at risk—but no one is truly safe, he warned. “It’s bad. It’ll affect everyone at some level, all walks of life.”
The wildfires have already disrupted industries, with oil production in Alberta slowed by advancing flames. A firefighting base in Saskatchewan was reportedly overrun by fire, raising concerns about whether emergency services can keep up with the growing threat.
As the smoke lingers and the fires rage on, Canadian and US authorities face mounting pressure to prepare for more days—and possibly weeks—of thick skies, poor air, and ongoing evacuations.
The situation, experts say, is yet another reminder of how climate extremes in one country can quickly cross borders—turning regional crises into international ones.
