Detroit’s Air Among Most Polluted Worldwide as Canadian Wildfire Smoke Persists

The air quality in Detroit ranked among the worst in the world on Monday, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continued making its way through the area.

An Air Quality Advisory was in effect for the entire state Monday, issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The statewide advisory was issued for elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which are inhalable particles that have diameters generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller, according to the EPA.

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, in the Motor City reached the “Unhealthy” level, displayed as a red AQI category, while other parts of the state saw orange “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” levels. AirNow, a partnership between several federal agencies as well as tribal, state, and local air quality agencies, describes the “Unhealthy” category as follows: “Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.”

The polluted air stems from smoke coming from persistent wildfires in Canada, where hundreds of fires were active across the country on Monday. Dozens of fires in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba were considered “Out of Control” by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, a stage indicating the wildfire is burning and expected to continue growing.

Air quality in Detroit is expected to improve by mid-week, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says they will update their forecast on Tuesday morning. More information from the EGLE, including an Air Quality Index Dashboard showing AQI data from around the state, can be found at this link.

See video of the hazy sky in Detroit on Monday here: