Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (2024)

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (1)

03:34

What is a zombie fire?

FOX 9 Minneapolis Meteorologist Ian Leonard explains what a zombie fire is and how it lit parts of Canada on fire recently.

MINNEAPOLIS – Canada's wildfire season has erupted as dozens of blazes burn in the country's western provinces, and smoke from those fires is choking the skies over the Upper Midwest early this week.

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul in Minnesota claimed the worst air quality in America on Monday after winds carried the smoke southeastward into the northern U.S.

Hazy skies were first seen Sunday over parts of northern Minnesota before spreading farther south into the Twin Cities overnight.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (2)

Hazy skies were seen Sunday, May 12, 2024, over Cook, Minnesota, as smoke from wildfires burning in western Canada spread southward into the Upper Midwest.

(Minnesota Department of Transportation)

The air quality index (AQI) in Minneapolis reached the "unhealthy" category Sunday night and remained there through much of Monday.

THE AIR QUALITY INDEX EXPLAINED: WHAT AIR QUALITY IS BAD?

The air quality trend in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as of 4:50 p.m. CT May 13, 2024.

Many other communities throughout Minnesota, particularly in central and southern portions of the state, are also experiencing unhealthy AQI readings. The unhealthy air has also spread south and eastward into parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.

HOW IS AIR QUALITY MEASURED?

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (4)

Air quality readings in the Upper Midwest as of 4:50 p.m. CT May 13, 2024.

(FOX Weather)

As a result, air quality alerts have been issued for portions of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin on Monday through midnight.

WHAT IS AN AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY?

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (5)

Air quality alerts have been issued in several states as of May 13, 2024.

(FOX Weather)

Computer forecast models show the smoke hugging the Upper Midwest through Monday as it also spreads into the northern Great Lakes.

WHICH U.S. CITIES HAVE THE DIRTIEST AIR? 2024 STATE OF THE AIR REPORT RANKS THEM

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (6)

The smoke forecast as of May 13, 2024.

(FOX Weather)

The air quality forecast for Minneapolis is improving to "good" for tomorrow through the rest of the work week.

Wildfires in western Canada force thousands from homes

The combination of warm temperatures and an ongoing drought have helped fuel several fires in western Canada, which has prompted thousands to leave their homes.

CANADA HAD NORTH AMERICA'S WORST AIR QUALITY IN 2023 BECAUSE OF WILDFIRES, REPORT SAYS

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (7)

A map of wildfires burning in Canada as of May 13, 2024.

(FOX Weather)

One of the largest fires burning in the province of British Columbia is called the Parker Lake Wildfire. The blaze exploded over the weekend and has now burned more than 13,000 acres as of Monday. The British Columbia Wildfire Service has identified the blaze as "out of control," noting that it continues to spread and could breach the current control line.

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (8)

01:56

Thousands evacuate Fort Nelson as wildfires spread in western Canada

An evacuation order was issued for the Fort Nelson area, in British Columbia, as wildfires were threatening the community. Footage filmed by Cheyenne Berreault shows a yellow-looking sky and smoke rising from mountains surrounding Fort Nelson.

Local authorities urged the entire town of Fort Nelson to evacuate and use as few vehicles as possible in an effort to conserve fuel in the region about 400 miles east of Juneau, Alaska.

"Conditions in many parts of B.C., and especially in the Prince George Fire Centre (PGFC), are unseasonably dry and more typical of those observed in the late summer. As a result, fuels are more susceptible to ignition and wildfires can spread more quickly," the British Columbia Wildfire Service said.

Large wildfires are also burning in neighboring Alberta, where thick smoke and poor air quality have been experienced in large parts of the province.

An evacuation alert was issued for Fort McMurray in Alberta as crews respond to what they describe as an "out-of-control wildfire" southwest of town that has burned more than 16,200 acres as of the latest report.

Additionally, authorities are monitoring fires that have rekindled since the historic firestorm of 2023, which burned more than 45 million acres.

The latest North America Drought Monitor showed nearly half of Canada is in drought conditions, with the driest regions being located in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (9)

The drought monitor map for Canada as of May 13, 2024.

(FOX Weather)

An El Niño regime caused extensive snowfall deficits across much of the country, potentially setting up regions for another record-breaking fire season.

"We know from the forecasts that in western and northern Canada, because of a dry winter because of some challenges that are going to be faced, it is likely to be a very bad forest fire season," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said while visiting British Columbia last week.

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (10)

A yellow-looking sky is seen as smoke rises from mountains surrounding Fort Nelson, in British Columbia. An evacuation order was issued for the Fort Nelson area as wildfires were threatening the community.

(Cheyenne Berreault via Storyful)

In 2023, hundreds of fires in Canada contributed to some U.S. cities seeing their worst air pollution of all time and creating an orange haze in hazardous conditions.

Some Major League Baseball games were postponed, and local health authorities encouraged residents to wear face masks if they ventured outdoors.

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday (2024)

FAQs

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Minneapolis with worst air quality in America on Monday? ›

(FOX Weather)

What areas of the US are affected by Canadian wildfires? ›

Canadian wildfires triggered air quality alerts in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, parts of Wisconsin and Iowa Sunday and Monday, and experts say there won't be much improvement in the coming months as more states could possibly be affected this summer.

Is the air quality bad because of the fires in Canada? ›

In 2023, hundreds of fires in Canada contributed to some U.S. cities seeing their worst air pollution of all time and creating an orange haze in hazardous conditions.

Why is the air quality so bad in Minneapolis? ›

In Minnesota, motor vehicles are the leading source of both air pollution emissions and greenhouse gas emissions.

Is the smoke from Canada toxic? ›

May 28, 2024 – Wildfire smoke from Canada has been traveling to the Midwestern U.S., causing air pollution both outdoors and indoors, according to experts.

Which country's wildfires are affecting air quality in the United States? ›

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fires burning in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and other western states, as well as Canada, have filled the skies in regions of the western U.S. with smoke and haze, forcing some affected areas to declare air quality alerts or advisories.

What part of the U.S. is most affected by wildfires? ›

Based on the number of properties at extreme risk from wildfires, the top five riskiest states were:
  • California: 2,040,600.
  • Texas: 717,800.
  • Colorado: 373,900.
  • Arizona: 242,200.
  • Idaho: 175,000.
May 13, 2024

What city has the worst air quality in us? ›

Los Angeles air pollution

Los Angeles has the most contaminated air in the country.

What was the worst air quality in Minnesota history? ›

Minnesota's Air Quality Index, which measures how concentrated pollutants are in the air, reached a record high in summer 2021. Wildfire smoke pushed the index level above 200 for the first time, leading to purple (201-300 AQI, “very unhealthy”) and maroon (301+ AQI, “hazardous”) color codes.

Who has the worst air quality in the world? ›

Bangladesh

How to detox lungs from fire smoke? ›

You've heard it before, but we'll remind you again – drink water! Water helps flush those gross particles you've been breathing in from your system. In general, a good daily target is about ten glasses of water. However, if you're detoxing, try to increase this intake to 12 or 14 glasses.

How long does wildfire smoke last in the air? ›

In some cases, smoke can hang around for days or even weeks, especially if there are no significant weather events like rain or strong winds to help clear it out. This can impact air quality and visibility in the affected areas.

What are the symptoms of Canadian smoke? ›

Wildfire smoke and your health
  • burning eyes.
  • a runny nose.
  • coughing.
  • trouble breathing or illnesses like bronchitis.

Where are the Canadian wildfires located? ›

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfires? The wildfires are affecting multiple areas, including the Saranagati Hare Krishna village near Cache Creek, Alberta, and northeastern British Columbia, especially areas west of Edmonton and northwest of Calgary.

What places have been affected by wildfires? ›

U.S. States Most Impacted by Wildfires in 2022
  • Nevada. Total acres burned: 58,402. ...
  • Kentucky. Total acres burned: 59,199. ...
  • Nebraska. Total acres burned: 76,534. ...
  • Kansas. Total acres burned: 84,015. ...
  • Arizona. Total acres burned: 124,165. ...
  • Montana. Total acres burned: 137,509. ...
  • Florida. Total acres burned: 339,783. ...
  • Washington.

Which American state is at greatest risk to have a wildfire? ›

Wildfire statistics by state

The state of California closed out 2021 with around 9,000 wildfires and over 2 million acres burned, nearly half of which were caused by July's Dixie Fire — the second most destructive wildfire in state history.

Are the Canadian wildfires affecting Nebraska? ›

Smoke from Canadian wildfires cause moderate air quality in central Nebraska.

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