It has been a smoky summer across Mid-Michigan, with hazy horizons becoming the norm.
For about a week, Michigan has been under an air quality advisory due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
So far, smoke-induced air quality advisories have been issued for more than 20 days. Last year, there were none due to wildfires.
On Monday, an air quality alert was issued for southeast Michigan, indicating that the air reached "unhealthy" levels for everyone.
Atmospheric conditions and wind direction bring smoke from Canada into Michigan. High-and low-pressure systems are common ways smoke is transported, said Rebecca Hansen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Grand Rapids office.
Most recently, all those cloudless skies—due to a high-pressure system—helped blow the smoke right into the state, she said.
'"Due to the light winds moving around, that's helping the smoke stay over the area too," Hansen said.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are currently more than 750 wildfires burning in Canada. Over one-third of them are "out of control."
"Canada has been experiencing warmer and drier conditions, and that definitely increases the wildfire risk," Hansen said.
When an air advisory alert is issued, people should limit the time they spend outside, especially if they are elderly, young, or have a respiratory condition, she said.
This story was brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
