Smoke pours into US from Canada as Minnesota fires force evacuations

As wildfires rage in parts of Canada and northern Minnesota, wildfire smoke is once again pouring into U.S. cities, causing yellow skies and hazy sunsets as "unprecedented" fires forced a remote campground to evacuate visitors.

The effects of the smoke drifting across parts of the United States are expected to intensify on July 16, including in southern New England, most of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, lower Michigan and northern Ohio, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Air quality alerts are blanketing several states as particulates from smoke make the air unhealthy to breathe, especially for sensitive groups, but for all residents in heavily impacted areas.

New York City is handing out free KN95 masks to protect residents against the smoky air on July 16 as officials urge people to avoid outdoor activity, especially people with medical conditions.

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“It’s dangerously hot and smoke from Canadian wildfires has worsened our air quality, which means New Yorkers need to be extra vigilant to stay safe,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

There were more than 850 wildfires across Canada as of July 16, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Meanwhile, rescues and evacuations were underway in northern Minnesota, where over a dozen fires caused by lightning strikes were burning and encroaching on remote campsites.

Map: Where fires and smoke are right now

Where will the air be smoky on July 16?

Wildfire smoke is blowing across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast, creating dangerous air quality as the smoke particles mix with pollution and ongoing heat, AccuWeather reported. Major cities including Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit and Washington, DC, are expected to feel the impacts, according to the outlet.

Smoke could linger in parts of the Northeast, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic through the end of the week, though July 15 and 16 were expected to be the worst days, said AccuWeather.

The morning of July 16, dense smoke advisories were in place along the waters of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Erie and Huron, the National Weather Service said. Unhealthy to hazardous air quality was recorded across parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Ohio, New York, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, according to AirNow.gov.

Hazy skies were photographed across the USA TODAY Network on July 15, including in Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and Massachusetts.

Why is the sky yellow? It's wildfire smoke again.

The sight of hazy skies will be familiar to those who lived through recent summers when Canadian wildfire smoke poured into the United States, including in 2023 when air quality turned abysmal for millions of Americans.

“Distant wildfires have impacted New York State in recent years, and this week unfortunately will be no different with expected hazy skies and poor air quality,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Campgrounds in Minnesota close as wildfires approach

There are 17 wildfires burning about 55,000 acres in and around the northeastern Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness just below the Canadian border, said Sarah Strommen, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The fires appear to have been caused by a lightning storm in early July, she said. Smoke from these fires is also pushing south, she said.

The morning of July 14, the U.S. Forest Service closed the wilderness area to campers and began evacuating visitors. Evacuation orders were also in place in surrounding Lake and St. Louis counties for residences near the fires, Strommen said.

Superior National Forest spokesperson Joy VanDrie said about 6,000 to 10,000 were in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, reported the Associated Press. Officials said they had reached about 90% of people there as of July 15. The federally designated wilderness comprises rugged and remote forest, lakes and islands with canoe routes, hiking paths and campgrounds.

First responders have gone into the Boundary Waters area to rescue groups of campers who became stuck near the border, Assistant Commissioner John Cunningham of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said. Cunningham called the wildfires "unprecedented" during this time of year.

Groups of teenage YMCA campers from Minnesota who were on a trip north of the border in remote areas where fires are burning heavily were trapped, and Gov. Tim Walz said Canadian authorities were helping extract them on July 15.

"Good news. Both groups have been rescued and are on their way back home to safety," Walz said in a post on social media the afternoon of July 15.

How to stay safe from wildfire smoke

Experts say limiting time outdoors is the best way to protect yourself from bad air quality due to wildfire smoke, which can cause symptoms such as burning eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, difficulty breathing, headaches and bronchitis. Those especially at risk include people with lung or heart disease, children, older adults, those who are pregnant and people who work outdoors.

Avoid physical exertion when air quality is unhealthy. While indoors, keep windows and doors shut. You can run air purifiers and filters to help keep indoor air clean. If you can’t buy a commercial portable air filter, you can create your own. One example is the Corsi-Rosenthal box made from simple materials of an air filter, box fan and duct tape.

More wildfire smoke safety tips: How to keep you, your family and beloved pets safe

If you must go outdoors, consider wearing a high-quality and well-fitting mask such as an N95.

Pets are also at risk from wildfire smoke. They should stay indoors, and bathroom trips outside should be kept short. Watch out for signs of distress such as red or watery eyes and nose, coughing or gagging and increased respiratory rate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Smoke pours into US from Canada as Minnesota fires force evacuations