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Air Quality & Wildfire News — July 16, 2026

Canairy · 4 min read · 2026-07-16

Silhouetted city skyline with mist and smoke at sunset creating a moody atmosphere
Photo: Bráulio jardim / Pexels

Smoke from wildfires burning across Canada is sitting over a huge stretch of the United States today, from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic. Michigan is seeing some of the worst air, New York and Philadelphia are under alerts, and forecasters say the haze could linger into Friday. Here's what's happening, with links to the original reporting.

Hundreds of fires in Canada are feeding the smoke

The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System reported 858 active wildfires on July 16, with more than 5.9 million acres burned nationwide so far this year, as NorthJersey.com reports. The fires are concentrated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec, and weather systems are carrying the smoke south into the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Michigan's air turns hazardous; Greenfield Village closes

Michigan is bearing the brunt. Greenfield Village in Dearborn closed Thursday to protect guests and staff, WDIV ClickOnDetroit reports, while an air quality alert covering the whole state is likely to continue through Friday. Officials say conditions are hazardous for everyone, not just sensitive groups.

A Detroit Free Press opinion piece by a Wayne State professor notes that some southeastern Michigan monitors were reading 600, 700 and even above 1,000 AQI on July 16 — far past the 300 mark generally recognized as hazardous, per the Detroit Free Press. Air that thick is a clear signal to stay indoors with windows closed and run an air purifier if you have one.

New York City hits "red" — unhealthy for everyone

New York City issued an air quality alert Thursday morning as the AQI across the five boroughs reached Level Red, with readings between 151 and 200, the Staten Island Advance reports. Officials are urging all residents to cut back on strenuous outdoor activity, and the city is pointing people to free mask distribution sites and cooling centers.

Philadelphia gets smoke and a heat advisory at once

Air quality tumbled to unhealthy levels across Philadelphia and a broad swath of Pennsylvania and New Jersey on Thursday, with a haze and a faint smell of charcoal in the air, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 90s and feel like 100 or more, and a heat advisory is in effect — a tough combination, since air quality tends to worsen in dense urban areas during hot weather.

Boundary Waters visitors evacuated in Minnesota

Thousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat as wildfires send dangerously heavy smoke over the region, KFF Health News reports, citing the Associated Press. More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, and experts suggest an N95 mask for anyone in the Midwest or Northeast who must spend time outside in the heavy smoke.

Pets need protection from the smoke too

Veterinary experts say wildfire smoke affects pets, horses and livestock much the way it affects people, the Detroit Free Press reports. The advice: keep pets indoors as much as possible, limit dogs and cats to brief bathroom breaks while alerts are in effect, and keep birds — which are particularly susceptible — inside entirely. The smoke over Michigan may linger into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Sources

Canairy aggregates publicly reported air-quality and wildfire news and summarizes it in plain English, with links to the original sources. This is educational information, not medical or emergency advice. In a wildfire or air-quality emergency, follow guidance from local authorities.