All posts tagged: Smoke

Photos: Wildfire Smoke Blankets Parts of North America

Photos: Wildfire Smoke Blankets Parts of North America

Published by Daniella Wilson

Cole Burston / AFP / Getty People walk in downtown Toronto as smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario causes poor air quality over the city, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on July 15, 2026. Stephen Maturen / Getty The sun sets behind a layer of smoke on July 15, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Gary Hershorn / Getty The sun rises behind the skyline of Midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building in New York City as smoke from Canadian wildfires moves into the region, on July 15, 2026, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. Terence Lewis / Icon Sportswire / Getty Wildfire smoke fills the air as fans in Citizens Bank Park watch a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets on July 16, 2026 in Philadelphia. Ryan Garza / USA Today / Reuters People wear masks to protect themselves from wildfire smoke while attending the Ann Arbor Art Fair in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, on July 16, 2026. Finn Gomez / Getty Smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and Minnesota …

This air purifier is helping keep my home’s air free of wildfire smoke – and it’s on sale

This air purifier is helping keep my home’s air free of wildfire smoke – and it’s on sale

Published by skeptic

Allison Murray/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Right now, 18 states are experiencing poor air quality due to wildfire smoke drifting south from Canada and northern Minnesota. The air quality index for some cities has reached hazardous levels, which means even minutes of being outside could cause intense coughing, wheezing, and irritation of the eyes, throat, and lungs. Also: I tested this backup power station during a real blackout – don’t make my mistakes I live in Illinois, where the air quality was the worst in the world yesterday. An air purifier is a must-have if you live in the impacted area, and you can get the Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max Air Purifier in the large size for $70 off on Amazon with a coupon. I’ve owned this model for years, and it’s been doing a good job at keeping our home’s air clean over the past few days.  Since introducing the Blueair air purifier into our living room a few years ago, we’ve seen a significant reduction in the amount of …

Wildfire smoke is like smoking ‘half a pack a day.’ Here’s how to protect yourself : NPR

Wildfire smoke is like smoking ‘half a pack a day.’ Here’s how to protect yourself : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

People wear masks in Chicago on Thursday to protect themselves from smoke from Canadian wildfires. City officials are encouraging people to remain inside as data shows Chicago having some of the worst air quality of any large city in the world. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images A version of this story was originally published on Jan. 8, 2025. It has been updated to reflect the wildfires currently bringing smoke to the U.S. Smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota prompted more air quality alerts Friday in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S., as well as in the Upper Midwest. Michigan saw a statewide air quality advisory on Wednesday, and Minnesota’s air quality reached the hazardous “purple” alert level. The wildfire smoke is setting records in Wisconsin and turning skies orange in Vermont. And after a brief respite Friday morning, New York City will see more smoke. Exposure to wildfire smoke is a growing health problem across the country, as human-caused climate change increases the risk and intensity of wildfires and the smoke that …

Is smoke in your home? Here’s how to make an air purifier using a box fan : NPR

Is smoke in your home? Here’s how to make an air purifier using a box fan : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and Minnesota engulf the Washington, D.C. skyline on Friday morning, reducing visibility and casting a haze over the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Finn Gomez/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Finn Gomez/Getty Images A version of this story was originally published on Jan. 10, 2025. It has been updated to reflect the wildfires currently bringing smoke to the U.S. Interest in air filters and purifiers is spiking as wildfire smoke spreads, including questions about how to build a homemade air purifier. On Friday, the air in a large section of the U.S. — from Minnesota to Virginia — was listed as “very unhealthy” due to particulate matter from large wildfires, according to the federal AirNow air quality monitor. The smoke is coming from wildfires in Ontario, Canada, and northern Minnesota — where Duluth and other cities are enduring hazardous air at record levels, as Minnesota Public Radio reports. On AirNow’s map, a purple zone signals “very unhealthy” air quality index values from 201 to 300. That level triggers public health alerts, …

What’s in wildfire smoke? An environmental health expert explains how it affects your body

What’s in wildfire smoke? An environmental health expert explains how it affects your body

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Wildfire smoke has been pouring across the U.S. border from fires in Canada again, turning skies an eerie shade of orange in several states in July 2026. In the West, smoke has also been spreading into communities in Colorado and neighboring states as more wildfires burn in hot, dry conditions. University of Colorado environmental health researcher Colleen Reid explains what’s in that smoke and why breathing it is a health concern everyone should be aware of. University of Colorado environmental health researcher Colleen Reid explains what’s in that smoke and why breathing it is a health concern everyone should be aware of (Getty Images) What is in wildfire smoke? Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture that includes nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter. When homes or buildings also burn, they can release …

Trump’s speech; Texas flooding; Wildfire smoke : NPR

Trump’s speech; Texas flooding; Wildfire smoke : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today’s top stories President Trump delivered a primetime address last night where he repeated claims that the country’s voting systems are vulnerable to being “rigged and stolen.” The president presented no new evidence of a single fraudulent vote in any election. He said he was declassifying intelligence documents that reveal “shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure.” President Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House. Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 A team at NPR spent much of the night reviewing these documents, Miles Parks tells Up First. So far, it’s unclear whether any new information has emerged that could affect the security of America’s voting systems. They largely highlight existing concerns about voting equipment, such as how dated it is in certain areas. Nearly all U.S. voters use paper ballots, which …

Do Face Masks Help With Wildfire Smoke? Yes, But More Is Needed

Do Face Masks Help With Wildfire Smoke? Yes, But More Is Needed

Published by skeptic

Wildfire season is fully upon us—and with it, the smoke. The most spectacular threat of a wildfire is of course the possibility it might directly threaten lives and homes, like the wildfires last year that devastated Los Angeles. But it is the smoke and the stinging haze—and especially the invisible particulate matter borne aloft for hundreds of miles—that is most likely to pose grave health risks to millions across the country, as wildfires rage in Canada and across the American West during summer months. Cardiac deaths spike after wildfires. So do visits to lung doctors. Smoke is bad for you. The more we know about the health effects of wildfire particulates in the air, the worse the effects seem to be. Many of the tiny particulates in wildfire smoke are both highly inflammatory and small enough to enter the bloodstream after entering through the lungs. They might then swim in your blood for weeks. High concentrations of particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) can harm developing lungs, lower fertility, damage mental health and ability …

Wildfire Smoke Makes Air Unhealthy From the US Midwest to East Coast. Officials Say Stay Inside

Wildfire Smoke Makes Air Unhealthy From the US Midwest to East Coast. Officials Say Stay Inside

Published by Sam Flores

NEW YORK (AP) — Heavy, pungent wildfire smoke darkened skies in the U.S. on Thursday from the Great Lakes to parts of the East Coast, reducing visibility and prompting warnings that breathing the air outside could be dangerous. Officials in many cities urged residents to stay inside or wear masks outside as air quality reached unhealthy to hazardous levels, meaning it’s unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions. The smoke is coming from fires that are burning primarily in Canada but also in northern Minnesota. A lingering high pressure system has trapped the smoke close to the ground, said Steven Freitag, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Detroit, where air quality was among the worst in the world for major cities. “Sure enough, it arrived in force here and it’s really pretty extreme levels,” said Freitag, who noted that visibility in some areas was reduced to a half mile. “It’s scary,” Omar Mitchell, 50, said as he looked to the sky. He wore a mask while walking to his restaurant in Detroit. “You don’t know …

Canada’s air ranks as worst in the world due to wildfire smoke

Canada’s air ranks as worst in the world due to wildfire smoke

Published by Sam Flores

Canada has 835 active wildfires – including 112 that are considered to be burning out of control. The smoke has caused hazardous air quality conditions – with Toronto residents neging warned to stay indoors if possible. US officials are concerned that the smog could spread into the northeastern part of the country possibly impacting the world cup final being held in New Jersey. Keywords for this article Source link