Wildfire smoke blankets suburbs, state declares Air Pollution Action Day

An air quality alert is in effect throughout the suburbs and parts of Northwest Indiana at least through tonight due to wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada.

The National Weather Service said the alert could be extended.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has also declared an Air Pollution Action Day for the region, urging everyone to limit outdoor exposure.

Currently, the IEPA lists the air quality at its Cary reporting station as “hazardous” with an air quality index in excess of 300. Healthy levels are below 50, according to the state’s air quality index. Chicago, Grayslake, Sugar Grove and Willow Springs reporting stations are listed as “very unhealthy” due to particulate matter levels in the air exceeding 200.

These levels are unhealthy for all individuals and experts recommend limiting outdoor activities due to the elevated concentration of pollutants.

More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada and Minnesota causing heavy smoke to cover much of the Upper Midwest, meteorologists explained.

The pollution from the smoke has Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis ranked in the top 5 most polluted major cities in the world Thursday, according to an international air quality monitoring website.

The effects from the wildfires could linger for days, officials said.

Summer camps in Carpentersville and Naperville reported either changing scheduled outdoor activities to inside or canceling them all together. Naperville Park District closed Centennial Beach for the day due to poor air quality.