Overview

• Smoke from more than 100 wildfires in Manitoba continues to drift into Minnesota, Michigan, Ontario and Quebec, putting around 22 million U.S. residents and millions more Canadians under air quality alerts
• Agencies including Minnesota’s MPCA, Michigan’s EGLE and Environment Canada have issued air quality warnings covering entire states or regions across southern Ontario and Quebec
• Health authorities advise limiting outdoor activities, keeping windows and doors closed, using air purifiers and wearing N95/KN95 masks to curb inhalation of PM2.5 particles
• Six U.S. lawmakers from Minnesota and Wisconsin wrote to Canada’s ambassador demanding action on the smoke, drawing a sharp response from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew who noted mass evacuations and fire fatalities in his province
• The blazes have consumed nearly 4.8 million acres—almost 11 times the average burn area—highlighting scientists’ warnings that climate change is intensifying wildfire seasons and cross-border health risks