Michigan air quality impacted by smoke and fires this week

Meteorologists at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) have issued a statewide air quality alert for elevated levels of fine particulate in the air starting at midnight tonight.  This has the potential to be a multi-day event from smoke caused by ongoing wildfires in Canada.

Conditions may be unhealthy for sensitive groups and there is a possibility that levels could reach the unhealthy range (see Air Quality Index information below), which could affect otherwise healthy individuals. EGLE’s meteorologists continue to track wildfires, assess conditions and will issue additional alerts if necessary.

Protecting your health during smoke events:

EGLE’s Wildfire Smoke page is dedicated to information and resources for the public to use during wildfire smoke events. The webpage houses resources related to how EGLE responds to these events, and details what you can do to learn more, or even to participate  in data collection with your own air quality sensor.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) urges residents to monitor air quality conditions in their area and adjust their level of physical activity and take protective actions according to the guidance at the Your Health and Wildfire Smoke webpage .

“We want Michigan families to know how to best take precautions to protect their health and safety during air quality events,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Wildfire smoke is expected to affect air quality this week, starting in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. We are urging Michiganders to check the Air Quality Index regularly to decide if they should be participating in outdoor activities and using the website to help determine what actions they should take to keep themselves and their families safe.”

MDHHS also recommends seeking shelter elsewhere if you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed. Call or text 211 or contact your local health department to find out if there is a shelter or cooling center nearby. Or consider spending time in an air-conditioned public place such as a library, mall, movie theater, etc.

Sign up for alerts

You can sign up for alerts through the EnviroFlash system. This subscriber lets you choose the area you want to receive alerts for. The system will send the alert directly to your email or send you a text message.

Outdoor burning

Always check to see if burning is permitted in your area before you decide to burn by checking the map and regulations at Michigan.gov/BurnPermit. Always pack safety with you before conducting any type of burning activity.

For more tips on burning and fire safety, visit the DNR’s Fire Management webpage.

Additional helpful resources:

These resources may be helpful to you if you are looking to learn more about air quality in your area, specifically around wildfires and smoke impacts.

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Wildfires and Smoke map
• EGLE’s Wildfire Smoke page
• EGLE MiAir AQI Map and Air Monitoring Information
• US EPA Interactive Map of Air Quality
• US EPA Fires and your health
• US EPA Particle Pollution
• “When smoke is in the air” by AirNow
• Is burning allowed? And Michigan.gov/OpenBurning 

Changing weather conditions can impact how and when wildfire smoke may impact the state. The EGLE meteorological team continues to monitor the situation and will issue additional guidance as needed.

The Air Quality Index:

The Air Quality Index, or AQI is the US EPA's tool for communicating about outdoor air quality and health. The higher the AQI, the worse the air quality and the more cause for concern.

The AQI for particulate matter (PM) is expected to be high in many parts of Michigan this week.