Canadian Wildfire Smoke Blankets Much of U.S., Prompting Health Warnings

Smoke from record wildfires in Canada is affecting air quality for millions of Americans, with parts of the Midwest experiencing the worst air quality in decades.
Areas of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, have endured air quality levels considered "unhealthy" or "hazardous" for parts of the week due to the dense smoke.
The smoke is expected to drift across much of the U.S. over the coming days, prompting air quality alerts in several states and recommendations that people limit time outside.
Health officials warn the particulate matter in the smoke can irritate eyes and lungs, worsen respiratory diseases like asthma, and increase risks of heart attacks or other cardiac issues.
The scale of the wildfires in Canada, now over 5 million hectares burned, and shifting weather patterns are making the effects of the smoke difficult to predict but concerning for areas far from the fires themselves.