Wildfire smoke is making its way through Michigan and is headed to Metro Detroit, where an air quality alert has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday because of the fine particulate matter in the smoke.
The smoke is coming from Canada and northern Minnesota, where fires are spreading and burning out of control. Air quality will be most impacted in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, state air quality meteorologists said in a Wednesday morning update.
The haze could reach a “hazardous” level in northern Michigan, meaning the pollution could be severe enough to affect everyone, even healthy people.
The smoke will travel to southern Michigan throughout the day Wednesday, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy meteorologists said.
The latest EGLE model shows smoke reaching the Detroit area between 8-10 p.m., senior EGLE meteorologist Jim Haywood told The Detroit News.
“With the persistent and aggressive nature of these fires, a statewide Air Quality Alert will remain in place through Thursday with a good possibility of extending into Friday,” EGLE meteorologists said. “Health advisors recommend limiting outdoor time, making sure to keep windows closed and, if possible, run central air conditioning with higher rated filters.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer posted the alert to social media and asked residents to be careful outdoors.
“All Michiganders should limit time spent outdoors, especially seniors, children, and those with respiratory conditions,” she wrote.
The smoke hit the Village of Mackinaw City on Wednesday morning, Village Manager Dean Martin said. As of 11 a.m., he said the sky had “a solid orange hue.”
“It is smoky up here,” Martin said.
Still, businesses are open in the tourist-driven northern Michigan community, and vacationers are out enjoying their Michigan summer, he said. Some are wearing masks to protect themselves from the haze.
“Mackinaw City is still open to tourism,” Martin said. “If people come up, I would recommend they take precautions outside. Limit exposure, don’t be afraid to wear a mask if you have one. … People have vacations planned, and we just ask that they exercise caution when visiting.”
Air quality, high heat
The air quality, coupled with temperatures in the high 90s on Wednesday, created challenging conditions across Metro Detroit. A heat advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. with a heat index of 102 degrees.
“It’s too hot, it’s so hot… and everyone’s electricity is going out on top of the heat wave. This is like a death sentence,” said Jannah Rashiid, who ate lunch outside today at the food trucks at Cadillac Square.
The 32-year-old from Detroit was also impacted by the air quality dip.
“I have asthma, so usually when they say the air quality is really bad, I have to have my inhaler on me or stay away from the outside. But that’s insane, how bad the air quality has gotten to the point where you can’t even go outside. Isn’t that weird?” Rashiid said.
Rashiid braved the heat to meet up with Charlita Booth for lunch. Booth said she only tends to face the elements when she has to let her dog outside.
Rashiid and Booth both work downtown as accountants.
“We’re out here to get lunch today, because today was the awesome food trucks. I mean, they had the crab legs, the cheeseteak, the nacho place. They don’t always have stuff like this,” said Booth, a 60-year-old also from Detroit.
Rashiid said she’s seen the summers get worse over time.
“This seems definitely hotter this year than it was last year. And I remember last year, saying the same thing about the previous year, so I’m hoping that it’s not a trend,” Rashiid said.
While the heat plays out, Rashiid will be prepared with her portable fan, shorts and a towel. Except for today, as she left her fan at home.
“I’m so angry… that has saved my life,” Rashiid said.
Metro Detroit air could be unhealthy Wednesday, Thursday
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, or SEMCOG, issued an Air Quality Alert for Thursday, its third of the season because of the elevated levels of fine particulate due to wildfire smoke.
As of July 14, there are 800 active wildfires scattered across Canada, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, with several in Ontario, Canada, mainly in the southwest and southeast regions of the province.
“In terms of wildfire smoke, we have been fortunate so far in 2026,” EGLE said on its website earlier this week. “Unfortunately, our luck has run out as the fires north of the Minnesota arrowhead have rapidly expanded, overnight, and satellite imagery shows large areas of smoke headed our way.”
The air quality alert said particulate levels are expected to be “Unhealthy” in Southeast Michigan on Thursday.
Officials predicted the levels could reach the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” range for Southeast Michigan on Wednesday.
SEMCOG urges residents to take safety precautions to protect their health, including:
∎ Avoiding strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases like asthma, when possible;
∎ Monitoring for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in the nose, throat, and eyes;
∎ Keeping windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors;
∎ Running central air conditioning systems with filters rated MERV-13 or higher;
∎ Reducing or eliminating activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning and using residential wood-burning devices.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
X: @CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Wildfire smoke engulfs northern Michigan as SE Michigan gets air alert
Reporting by Carol Thompson, Charles E. Ramirez and Laine Cibulskis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Carol Thompson, Charles E. Ramirez and Laine Cibulskis, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
