Chicago has the worst air quality in the world due to Canadian wildfire smoke
Source: CBS News
U.S.
Chicago has the worst air quality in the world due to Canadian wildfire smoke
BY CAITLIN O'KANE
UPDATED ON: JUNE 27, 2023 / 4:02 PM / CBS NEWS
Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit had some of the worst air quality in the world Tuesday as wildfire smoke from Quebec, Canada, seeps into the Midwest. The raging fires have been impacting parts of the U.S. since earlier this month, and all three cities hit the purple zone of the AQI, or air quality index. ... At one point on Tuesday, Chicago was at level 228, veering into the purple or "very unhealthy" zone, and nearby Milwaukee was at level 221, according to AirNow, a government site that measures air quality.
Maps that depict the current air quality in the U.S. show Illinois, Wisconsin and parts of surrounding states like Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan are in the red or "unhealthy" zone and some people may experience health effects, according to AirNow.
The East Coast of the U.S., which suffered dangerous air quality from the Canadian wildfires earlier this month, now appears mostly clear, but some areas are in the yellow or "moderate" zone, which means the air quality is acceptable but could pose a risk for some people.
According to IQ Air, which monitors the air quality index around the world, major midwestern cities Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit had some of the worst air quality in the world, with Dubai as well as Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan, also high on the list. Chicago topped the list at times Tuesday.
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Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicago-worst-air-quality-canadian-wildfire-smoke-june-27-2023/
A couple of weeks ago, it was New York City's turn. Now it's Chicago's turn. It's a tie: Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit.
MiHale
(12,288 posts)Little disconcerting to smell and see wood smoke/haze when you live in a forest.
Northern Michigan.
GenXer47
(1,204 posts)Heat the planet, extend the beetles breeding season. The beetles kill the trees, and they burn.
speak easy
(12,487 posts)greatauntoftriplets
(178,445 posts)I'm staying indoors and thankful that I'm in the suburbs and not downtown.
ProfessorGAC
(74,939 posts)We're 60 miles from downtown and there's a persistent haze all day.
Actually enough that it smells like wood smoke outside.
Hassin Bin Sober
(27,299 posts)I got in the car expecting to see fire fire trucks in the neighborhood on the way to Home Depot.
Ogden Avenue in Lagrange and western springs was all hazed over.
I still cant believe its from Canada.
machoneman
(4,128 posts)...now but feel for all you Illinoisans. Hope that smoke goes away pronto.
Hassin Bin Sober
(27,299 posts)Lyons Township High School - home of that jagoff Nick Fuentes
Response to Hassin Bin Sober (Reply #24)
machoneman This message was self-deleted by its author.
Ocelot II
(127,932 posts)It's hazy but it no longer actually stinks.
catbyte
(38,114 posts)It irritated my throat and nasal passages when I took my cat Rosie out for her walk. Needless to say, it was a short one today. I can't imagine what it's like in Canada. I don't think I've ever seen it this bad.
Sogo
(6,726 posts)"I don't think I've ever seen it this bad."
Eastern Iowa....
IronLionZion
(50,160 posts)rain can help too.
rurallib
(64,298 posts)very hazy.
mahatmakanejeeves
(67,188 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 28, 2023, 05:53 AM - Edit history (1)
cbabe
(5,787 posts)Wildfire smoke: Montreal has world's worst air quality today
2 days agoAs of Sunday morning, Montreal had the worst air quality in the world, according to a ranking of major cities by IQAir. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your...
NotANeocon
(465 posts)AllyCat
(18,293 posts)Ive heard that novel strategy before
louis-t
(24,508 posts)It's really hazy. Wind out of the north. If the wind changes, we will be ok by tomorrow. I guess I won't go out and cut the grass. Yay!
rogerballard
(4,017 posts)About an hour north of Detroit, not good here. Have a small and large air purifier on full blast. I use 2 different inhalers daily. Staying indoors that is for sure. Air quality is around 228. I hate this.
sinkingfeeling
(56,657 posts)2 blocks down the street today. It smells like burning leaves.
electric_blue68
(24,526 posts)I was napping when the orange sky hit but yeah we had our 2+ days of smokey smelling air.
Definitely stronger than the Tennessee, or Kentucky one back in the ?early '90's.
Stuart G
(38,726 posts)YES, EVERYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
Air quality in your area go to the following address:
Air Now. Gov...at link below
https://www.airnow.gov/
electric_blue68
(24,526 posts)NYC.
Novara
(6,115 posts)It looks foggy out but it's smoke. And you can smell it. Ugh.
AwakeAtLast
(14,315 posts)It was even hazy all the way down here!
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,847 posts)Hazy and it smells like a burning Sweatsock Tree.
pansypoo53219
(22,663 posts)lees1975
(6,802 posts)It was noticeable, not only because it was so thick and hazy, but being outside, I got a burning sensation in my eyes and throat.
PlutosHeart
(1,445 posts)since I live in mid-MN and between haze and occasional weird haze/sun it said were just under the orange warning (moderate) yet I woke up totally stuffed up. Odd chem smell off and on. Also, my chest sort of bothers me the last two days. I stay indoors pretty much all the time. My cats are sneezing and have gummy eyes and they do not go out either.
The moon had a total haze on it tonight.
Kid Berwyn
(22,164 posts)Same thing happened last time ash, dust, smoke and gas from Canadas boreal fires were blown this way.
Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
mahatmakanejeeves
(67,188 posts)AllyCat
(18,293 posts)I always miss the loons.
mahatmakanejeeves
(67,188 posts)It was from a non-English-speaking bot and translated, somewhat, into English.
It was a really bad effort.
And good morning.
AllyCat
(18,293 posts)Emile
(38,562 posts)Western Indiana looks like it's on fire. Looks like it is going to be another smokey day here.
James48
(5,014 posts)Higher than Chicago. Just saying. You could chew the air.
4dog
(534 posts)This from the airnow.gov web site smoke map. Quebec is green. There are a few fires symbolized up to the N of LS, and it looks like the movement of the gray areas is N to S, different from the plume headed for Europe. Why is a major news org not getting this right, or I am the one misinterpreting?
iemanja
(57,000 posts)and we're a lot closer to Canada.
John Ludi
(596 posts)going into Madison yesterday...the AQI was 246, compared to 169 in Westby (around where I drove from). The haze was incredible, never saw anything like it. I wore one of my N95s pretty much all day, while staring in wonder at people out jogging, running and bicycling in it.
Jokerman
(3,552 posts)Day after day of hazy skies and the smell of smoke.
electric_blue68
(24,526 posts)Very red by before 7pm! Yet I didn't really smell smoke and my nose was clear.
Today air was like 220.