Air quality alerts remained in place Monday from Minnesota and Michigan to South Carolina due to smoke from wildfires in Canada.
Over 180 fires scattered across Canada are actively burning, with 91 burning out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, a nonprofit that supports the government’s wildfire response. The fires have burned over 3.7 million acres since the beginning of the year.
Over the weekend, hazy skies could be seen over Minneapolis and Duluth, and an air quality alert was issued for all of Minnesota on Monday by the state’s pollution control agency.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the National Weather Service warned residents that outdoor grills, chain saws and ATVs “have the potential to throw a spark and ignite a dangerous and destructive fire.”
The haze from the Canadian wildfire smoke drifted all the way into the Deep South of the U.S., with the NWS on Sunday reporting a “red sunrise” in the Charleston, South Carolina, area.
Poor air quality means sensitive groups such as pregnant people, newborns, older adults or those with respiratory or heart problems should limit their time outdoors.
The poor air quality will continue for Michigan, Minnesota and South Carolina through Monday night.
