Detroit air quality: Less smoky weekend but not clear
Wildfire Consequences and Boxwood fatalities | Brother Nature
The wildfires in Canada and the smoke afflicting Michigan has devastating consequences for our health, and solutions to the widening crises are limited. Also on Brother Nature this week, what's wrong with Michigan's boxwoods? The hardy shrub is increasingly under attack from pests.
The air in Detroit improved overnight and into the early weekend, but poor conditions may return again Saturday night.
An Orange Warning for the air is in effect until Monday at 4 a.m.
Detroit air quality map
Big picture view:
An Orange Warning for the air quality is in effect for our area through Monday as the Canadian wildfires continue.
What does Orange Warning mean?
Code Orange means the air is "unhealthy for sensitive groups."
That category covers AQI values from 101 to 150. At that level, members of sensitive groups may experience health effects, while the general public is less likely to be affected.
Sensitive groups can include:
- Children
- Older adults
- People with asthma
- People with heart disease
- People with lung disease
- People who are active outdoors
- People who work outside
During a Code Orange alert, sensitive groups should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. AirNow says that for particle pollution, sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children.
AQI ranking
The Air Quality Index score ratings are:
- 0-50 GOOD — Little to no risk
- 51-100 — MODERATE — A small number of unusually sensitive people may have health concerns
- 101-150 — UNHEALTHY FOR SOME — People with heart/lung disease, older adults and children should limit outdoor activities
- 151-200 — UNHEALTHY — Everyone should limit outdoor activities, unusually sensitive people should remain indoors.
- 201-300 — VERY UNHEALTHY — Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible.
- Any score beyond 301 is HAZARDOUS.
Air quality improves little by little; possible storms tonight and Saturday
Alan Longstreet has the latest on the Air Quality Alert for Michigan as Canadian smoke from wildfires blanket the region.
Where are the wildfires in Canada?
Big picture view:
According to the Canadian government, more than 850 wildfires were active across Canada as of Thursday, with 29 new fires reported this week. Most of the fires designated as "out of control" were in western Ontario, north of Minnesota, and in northern Saskatchewan. But multiple active fires are reported in all provinces.
Winds are carrying the smoke southeast from Ontario down to Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Wisconsin and even parts of Maine.
Metro Detroit forecast: Strong storms possible, smoke remains a concern
Strong to severe thunderstorms could develop across Metro Detroit Saturday, bringing the threat of damaging wind gusts while wildfire smoke continues to impact air quality across southeast Michigan.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from FOX 2 meteorologists, IQAir and the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.