Millions of Americans face apocalyptic skies as wind blows heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires into the United States.
Impact from the smoke could be felt Friday across major cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York City, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. The smoke originated from roughly 800 wildfires that blazed in recent weeks in Ontario, Canada and is expected to continue impacting American’s air quality for the next several days.
The conditions have prompted air quality warnings from officials who have encouraged residents in some areas to stay inside. Milwaukee saw its worst air quality on record while alerts were issued in over a dozen states — mianly throughout the Midwest and Northeast — urging people to be cautious.
Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency told people to “avoid strenuous outdoor activities when possible, especially if you have heart or respiratory conditions. Watch for symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or irritation in your nose, throat, or eyes.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said people across her state should “stay indoors whenever possible.”
The smoke could be seen in the nation’s capital on Friday, with residents noting the eerie look of the smoke floating around the iconic city.
“The sky and the air in DC looks apocalyptic — as if things can’t get weirder,” said commentator Meghan McCain.
The fallout from the fires has led some lawmakers to call for action, including Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno who said he plans to file legislation that would sanction Canada over the wildfires.
“Canada’s government failed to invest in wildfire prevention methods including forest thinning, fuel reduction, prescribed burns, and stronger enforcement against arson,” Moreno’s office said.
Four Michigan Congressional Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate John James, wrote a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to critique Canada’s handling of its wildfires.
“The season has come around again, and nothing has changed except that our patience has run out,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. “Our constituents in Michigan are once again under air quality alerts. Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them.”
“This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to,” they added. “We were told last year that this would be treated with urgency. It was not.”
Earlier this week, Carney said that thousands of people across Canada had been forced to evacuate due to the fires.
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