Wildfire smoke from dozens of blazes in western Ontario, Canada, and northern Minnesota is spreading across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast, bringing extremely poor air quality and hazy, orange-tinged skies to millions through Thursday. The event is being compared to the infamous June 2023 smoke outbreak that turned the sky over New York City a dramatic orange.
As of Monday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported that 32 new wildfires had started in mostly western Ontario, with 46 burning out of control across the province. Several additional fires have intensified in northern Minnesota, where a persistent heat dome is driving record-high temperatures and dry conditions. The Camp Fire in Lake County, Minnesota, jumped containment lines on Monday, prompting local evacuations.
The thick smoke, initially contained north of the Great Lakes, is now shifting southward due to changing winds. By Wednesday morning, the first wave of smoke is blanketing the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes, producing milky, hazy skies in areas such as Upstate New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont. According to forecasts, the smoke plume is expected to push toward the Interstate 95 corridor—including Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia—by Wednesday evening.
Air quality alerts have been issued for parts of northeastern Minnesota, including Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, and the Grand Portage Tribal Nation, with officials urging people to avoid prolonged outdoor activity. Similar advisories are in place in several Northeast and Great Lakes states as the smoke spreads.
Under the thickest bands of the plume, visibility may be reduced and air quality could become "very unhealthy." There may be a six-to-eight-hour window where smoke settles near the ground, increasing health risks, especially for sensitive groups. The situation may be made worse by an intensifying heat dome, which is forecast to bring near-record temperatures to the region on Wednesday.
Officials continue to monitor the situation as the full severity of the smoke event remains uncertain. However, early computer models suggest it could rival the intensity of the smoke outbreak seen in June 2023. Residents in affected regions are advised to stay indoors, monitor air quality levels, and follow guidance from local authorities until conditions improve in the coming days.