Overview

• Manitoba declared a state of emergency after wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan forced over 17,000 people to evacuate their homes.
• Satellite imagery shows smoke plumes stretching thousands of miles from western Canada through Montana and North Dakota into the Upper Midwest.
• Air quality alerts are active in northeastern Minnesota, parts of Wisconsin and additional regions with conditions forecast to be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
• Meteorologists say persistent northwesterly winds will keep smoke levels elevated into Saturday, risking respiratory irritation and reduced visibility in cities such as Chicago and Detroit.
• Researchers attribute the intensity of this year’s wildfires to climate-driven heat and drought and note that Canada’s fire season runs through September with dozens of fires still out of control.