# How is the Smoke From the Canada Forest Fires Where You Are? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 17, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745 "2026-07-17T14:41:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/1 "2026-07-17T14:41:10Z")
We’re code purple in the DC area, which is pretty bad. It was very noticeable when I took the dog out for his walk around 7. We went out again for a few minutes and I wore a mask. It’s less hot than it’s been the last couple of days, but the air quality is horrible. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/2 "2026-07-17T14:46:57Z")
Last night looked like Armageddon. This morning was better, 175 and now we’re down to 167. I wore a mask to do a fast watering this morning. Last night the sun was a strange and ominous shade of red. I think it was up around 230 AQI last night. For your local readings: [https://www.airnow.gov/](https://www.airnow.gov/)? Sorry, I forgot to include: I’m in Central Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/3 "2026-07-17T14:49:46Z")
We’re at 231. I’m not looking forward to going out again today, but it’s supposed to rain tomorrow and hopefully clear the air a bit. Chicago, where my daughter lives, is 332. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/4 "2026-07-17T14:55:04Z")
In Toronto, the sky is at least blue-ish now instead of orange. Still smells pretty smoky, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/5 "2026-07-17T14:58:17Z")
Cleveland is currently at 268ish. Got as high as 500 yesterday. The entire area still looks like a “Mexico Filter” has been applied. Expecting some thunderstorms late this evening which should clean things up quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/6 "2026-07-17T14:59:47Z")
It’s really bad here in the SE Michigan / greater metro Detroit area. The local news has been saying our air quality is the worst in the world right now-- levels around 500. Wednesday early evening the sky had the weirdest yellow glow. Yesterday morning I went outside and immediately wondered “is one of my neighbors having a bonfire or burning leaves first thing in the morning??” for a second before I realized it was the wildfire smoke. Last year when we were getting smoke from Canada fires I don’t remember it being nearly this bad-- I could only catch the occasional slight odor of smoke in the air. I had to chainsaw a tree that had fallen across our driveway yesterday, and it was a pretty awful task in that polluted air. I should have worn an N95 mask-- I probably got the equivalent of half a pack of cigs doing that little chore. Then I ran an errand, and driving around, everything was hazy, like low-lying fog. It seems a little better today, but the local news says the air is still hazardous. It’s supposed to improve by tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/7 "2026-07-17T15:09:18Z")
Here in Missouri, not at all. Too far south and west. No local issues either. 15 today. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/8 "2026-07-17T15:09:24Z")
Here in the western suburbs of Chicago, it got progressively worse over the course of the day yesterday, and by last night, the AQI was well over 500 here. I had to take the trash out last night, and I wore a KN95 mask; even with the mask on, the smoke smell was pretty bad. This morning, the AQI numbers are down to the 200s to 300s in my area – still nasty, but not as bad as last night. The sky is a hazy yellow-gray, and I have no plans to leave the house today. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/9 "2026-07-17T15:48:06Z")
I posted a cite & comment in the aviation thread about severe smoke impacting this weekend’s monster airshow at Oshkosh Wisconsin. > [@The Great Ongoing Aviation Thread (general and other) (Part 2)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-2/1030892/163): > > Sorry to three-peat. An article came up in my morning feed about wildfire smoke in Wisconsin impacting EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. Wed & Thu visibility was a mile or less and only IFR arrivals were possible. For which there are very few slot reservations and all are long since taken. The NWS expectation on Thu was that by Fri when the real mass arrivals start the vis will permit their normal high density VFR / VMC procedures. Here’s hoping they don’t get a midair from the poor visibility. Th… ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/10 "2026-07-17T16:05:15Z")
I am currently in southern Illinois and it’s fine. My family back in western PA have been texting me about the apocalyptic smoke and code purple warnings. Even a few code maroon warnings which is the worst it can get. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/11 "2026-07-17T16:09:48Z")
I’m in SW Ohio. It’s definitely smokey. But… we’re leaving in an hour to drive up to Ontario. We’ll be spending this evening in Toronto, and all of next week in Whitefish Falls. I’ll let you know how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/12 "2026-07-17T16:10:02Z")
AQI during this past week has been around 160 or so in MSP. It’s much worse further north. I think Duluth was over 300, with visibility down to a hundred feet or so (I could be mistaken on that). Skies are much clearer today as a front moves in and we’ll finally drop out of the 90+/high humidity realm into low 80s on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/13 "2026-07-17T16:14:46Z")
NYC here. Yesterday it got to around 230 or so and was noticeably hazy and smelled like a campfire. Wasn’t anywhere as bad as it was in 2023 however, when the air was orange and it was in the 400s. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/14 "2026-07-17T16:16:21Z")
> [@solost](#): > > metro Detroit area. The local news has been saying our air quality is the worst in the world right now-- levels around 500. We used to be number 1 in auto manufacturering, then number 1 in murders and now number 1 in air quality. Winning! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/15 "2026-07-17T16:22:18Z")
Just a reminder about this site/cite for US folks: > **[National Maps | AirNow.gov](https://www.airnow.gov/national-maps/)** > > National Maps displaying Current Air Quality, Today's Air Quality Forecast. More Current Map Options, Current by Monitors, Contours Loop, Monitors Loop More Forecast Map Options, Tomorrow's Forecast,Today's Forecast by City, Tomorrow's Forecast by... ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/16 "2026-07-17T16:25:33Z")
Half way between Toronto and Detroit, 275. Was way worse yesterday, sky was orange all day. You could smell smoke, no escape from it, even indoors. The streets were empty. This morning was much better, you couldn’t smell smoke anymore, hazy but not yellow. The brighter it got, the sky was almost tinged a slight blue…and then…it’s been going downhill steadily ever since. At least it doesn’t smell of smoke, yet. As an aside; Any idea what effect, if any, this would have if you were in the middle of painting the exterior of your house and such a storm blew in? Any discernible effects? ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/17 "2026-07-17T16:28:27Z")
Northern NJ is markedly better today than yesterday. The breeze has picked up and you can no longer smell the smoke from my house, but you can see it looking down the mountain. AQI today is 162, so I still won’t go for a sail even though there’s a decent breeze. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/18 "2026-07-17T16:33:20Z")
You mean the one in the 2nd post? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/19 "2026-07-17T16:36:11Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Sorry, I forgot to include: I’m in Central Jersey. I’m not far from you today but It’s worse at home, 40 miles away. Yes, I’ve smelled smoke when walking outside for the past two days which prompted a question on [sidwalk cooking](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sidewalk-cooking/1031723/). It was very weird yesterday because when it’s hot (90°s) & that hazy in the summertime that typically means it’s brutally humid but it’s not & my brain was going, “Huh”? when I walked outside & didn’t feel like I stepped into a steam bath. Similarly when I was driving last night; I was thinking fog but, unlike fog, my high beams improved vision not just put a blinding white cloud a few feet in front of my car. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > You mean the one in the 2nd post? 🙂 It’ was just a reminder, because your post was a whole screen or two up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745/20 "2026-07-17T16:51:40Z")
> [@solost](#): > > It’s really bad here in the SE Michigan / greater metro Detroit area. I’m on the other side of the Mitten (lakeshore area) and last night was jacked up. All day the sun looked weird, and sunset was … colorful. I stepped outside at work for a quick smoke break & literally gagged. There was a woman waiting at the drive-thru window, and I waved and made a joke about there not being much point to a smoke break, and she replied, “Just open your mouth and take a deep breath, save some money!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-smoke-from-the-canada-forest-fires-where-you-are/1031745.md?page=2)