A recent wildfire outbreak across western Ontario, Canada, and Minnesota is sending thick plumes of smoke toward the Great Lakes and Northeast through Thursday, bringing extremely hazardous air quality and potentially some orange skies reminiscent of the Mars-like skies that enveloped New York City in June 2023.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, 32 wildfires sparked across mostly western Ontario on Monday, with 46 wildfires burning out of control across the province.
Several other fires sparked and intensified in northern Minnesota on Monday, as a heat dome continues to drive record temperatures across the Northern Plains.
The Camp Fire in Lake County jumped its containment lines Monday, triggering local evacuations.
The state’s Pollution Control Agency has issued Air Quality Alerts for parts of northeastern Minnesota, including Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, and the Grand Portage Tribal Nation, urging people to avoid prolonged outdoor activity.
Dangerous wildfire smoke intensifies across Great Lakes and Northeast Wednesday
According to the FOX Forecast Center, a major shift in wind direction over the next 24-36 hours will allow heavy concentrations of wildfire smoke to pour into the Lower 48.
This smoke will likely create milky, hazy skies across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes beginning Wednesday morning.
The biggest declines in air quality are expected where the thickest smoke concentrates near the ground.
“Under the thickest bands of the plume, reduced visibilities are possible, and air quality will likely become very unhealthy if the latest computer forecast models are correct,” the FOX Forecast Center said.
“While much of the smoke is forecast to remain elevated high in the atmosphere, there is a growing signal that there could be a 6-8 hour window with smoke close to the ground.”
The smoke plume is expected to move toward the Interstate 95 corridor in the Northeast through the day on Wednesday, reaching places like Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia by Wednesday evening.
Air quality issues will be compounded on Wednesday as the heat dome intensifies over the Northeast, bringing near-record temperatures for the region.
“The overall severity of the smoke remains unclear, but there are some early indications that, if we take the computer forecast models at face value, the concentration of smoke would be comparable to the infamous June 2023 event,” the FOX Forecast Center said.
