Marquette, Michigan – Hazy skies continue to stretch across Michigan today as wildfire smoke from Canada pushes fine particulate matter into unhealthy levels across the state. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has extended a statewide Air Quality Advisory through Tuesday, urging residents to limit outdoor activities due to the elevated risk, especially for those with preexisting health conditions.
The culprit is PM2.5, a fine particle pollutant that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. As the smoke lingers, PM2.5 levels have risen into the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” (AQI Orange) category, which means people with asthma, lung disease, heart conditions, and young children or older adults should be extra cautious. While Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Marquette are all impacted, the air quality levels are fluctuating slightly throughout the day depending on wind patterns.
According to EGLE, every county in Michigan is currently included in the advisory. Conditions may vary locally, but officials stress that all residents—especially in more vulnerable groups—should take steps to reduce exposure. This includes staying indoors when possible, keeping windows shut, and using air purifiers or running HVAC systems on recirculate mode.
The haze is also affecting visibility, particularly in rural areas and near lakeshores where smoke can become trapped in lower-lying zones. Drivers across northern and central Michigan should be alert to sudden drops in visibility along highways, especially in the early morning and evening hours when smoke tends to settle near the surface.
Outdoor event organizers, school districts, and childcare providers across the state are being encouraged to monitor real-time air quality data through Tuesday and reschedule outdoor activities if possible. Prolonged or intense physical activity outdoors can increase the amount of particulate matter inhaled, especially for children participating in sports or outdoor play.
Meteorologists say there is little improvement expected before late Tuesday, and possibly not until winds shift more favorably from the west or northwest. If the smoke remains trapped over the Great Lakes region, the advisory could be extended even further. State officials will continue to provide updates through the MiAir online platform, where residents can check the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for their local area.
For those without access to air purifiers, using portable fans with filters, sealing windows and doors with towels, and creating “clean air rooms” with minimal airflow from outside sources are temporary solutions. Even a few hours in a cleaner indoor space can reduce the impact of exposure to unhealthy air.
While wildfires are not currently active within Michigan, the ongoing fires in Canada continue to affect large portions of the Midwest and Northeast. Smoke plumes can travel hundreds of miles, bringing health impacts even to areas far from the fire source.
Residents across Michigan are encouraged to stay alert, protect their health, and keep an eye on local forecasts until air quality improves.
