Overview

• Smoke from 177 active wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba has driven PM2.5 and ozone readings into the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups range across Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
• Chicago’s PM2.5 level reached 114 and ozone climbed to 156 on Monday, prompting “orange” alerts through Tuesday night and an Air Pollution Action Day on July 15 for eight Illinois and five Indiana counties.
• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a statewide alert through midday Tuesday, advising people with asthma or heart disease to watch for shortness of breath, unusual fatigue and heart palpitations.
• The Illinois EPA and Department of Public Health recommend that children, adults over 60 and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions limit outdoor exposure and use properly fitted N95 or N100 respirators.
• Forecasts from the National Weather Service and local meteorologists indicate that shifting winds and increased rain chances later this week should clear smoke and improve air quality.