Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota all experienced hazy conditions on Monday due to drifting smoke from wildfires in Western Canada, triggering air quality alerts and warnings.
Dozens of active wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta are said to be “out of control,” said the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. There are nearly 150 active wildfires blazing across the entire country. Thousands of residents in Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nations in British Columbia were under an evacuation order on Sunday.
The air quality index for the four states on Monday ranged from “moderate” to “unhealthy” for the general population. Particles from wildfire smoke that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter can reach deep inside a human’s lungs, causing inflammation and weakening the immune system. It can also increase the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases.
