Wildfire in Canada is still raging and affecting citizens in both Canada and US. It is one of the worst wildfires the state has suffered, and it continues to cause air quality alerts.
The smoke is bad enough to cause beach closures, reduced visibility, and uncountable health concerns. People have been warned to stay indoors, and the situation seems untameable.
Entire states have been swallowed by air quality alerts. According to the National Weather Service, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Delaware, and Maryland, parts of Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia face the worst smoke rampage.
So let’s find out the worst affected areas and the steps you can take to stay safe.
What Is Causing Poor Air Quality in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana?
The wildfire smoke from Canada is causing the air quality in several US states to deteriorate. Air quality alerts have been issued all over Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, with alerts varying from unhealthy to hazardous.
Citizens are advised to stay home as much as possible and go outside only for unavoidable tasks. High levels of fine particulate have been detected in the air due to the fires in Canada.
The Mackinac Bridge in Michigan was overridden by smoke on Tuesday, and drivers faced awful conditions on the road as they were forced to drive and turn slowly due to reduced visibility.
The air quality will continue to fluctuate and will be highly unhealthy for everyone during some hours when the air is stagnant and concentrated.
Which US City Has the Worst Air Quality?
Chicago and Detroit saw the worst air quality in the world on Tuesday night. Detroit reached the “very unhealthy” state of 205 on the Air Quality Index, while Chicago registered a 174.
The skylines of the cities are shrouded in smoke, and visibility has been dangerously reduced. All citizens, especially those with heart or lung disorders, have been asked to stay inside and use N95 masks. Older adults, pregnant women, and children are also at risk.
How to Stay Protected from the Smoke?
The best way to protect yourself from the smoke is to stay indoors and keep the doors and windows closed to keep the air inside relatively pure for as long as possible. Wearing an N95 mask is also a good prevention measure as it limits your smoke inhalation and filters out particulate matter.
It is best to use certified portable air cleaners continuously on high settings. Remember to drink plenty of water while limiting activities that could strain the body.
Do not run swamp coolers or fans that cover the whole house; also reduce activities that can cause indoor pollution, like smoking, burning candles and incense, using gas stoves, or vacuuming.
If you are trying to evacuate from wildfires, stay inside your vehicles and keep the windows closed. Run the AC with recirculating turned on.
The Canadian government is trying its best to rescue people and keep the fires under control, but the dry season has made it worse. It has become the worst fire season for Canada, even surpassing the 1995 incident in terms of the total area burned.
So watch out for hazardous smoke, stay indoors, and comment down below how you are protecting yourself in these unfortunate circumstances.
