Overview

• Manitoba declared a state of emergency after nearly 160 wildfires scorched roughly 491,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders for more than 17,000 residents.
• Smoke plumes drifting from those fires now cover much of the Upper Midwest, prompting air quality alerts in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and producing 'moderate' readings around Chicago.
• Forecasters say hazy skies and reduced visibility will peak Friday evening and could linger through Sunday before winds shift and clear the region by Monday.
• Health agencies advise children, older adults and people with asthma, COPD or heart conditions to stay indoors with filtered air and have medications on hand as particulate levels rise.
• Researchers link this early wildfire surge to climate change–driven heat and drought, underscoring growing seasonal wildfire risks across North America.