Wildfire Smoke Continues to Affect Air Quality in Parts of U.S.

Why it matters locally: The widespread wildfire smoke has led to air quality alerts in Illinois, impacting residents across the state and potentially affecting respiratory health, especially for vulnerable populations.

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Smoke from active wildfires in Canada and Minnesota blanketed portions of the United States on Thursday. This smoke resulted in orange skies and reduced visibility in affected areas. Forecasters project that hazardous air quality conditions will persist. Fires in both Canada and Minnesota have generated the widespread smoke. The smoke plume has extended across various U.S. regions. Air quality monitoring agencies have issued alerts as a result of the atmospheric conditions.