{"id":133936,"date":"2026-07-18T00:08:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T00:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/133936\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T00:08:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T00:08:23","slug":"hazy-skies-from-wildfires-persist-across-wide-swath-of-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/133936\/","title":{"rendered":"Hazy skies from wildfires persist across wide swath of US"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states muddled through another day of unhealthy air<\/a> from uncontrolled wildfires<\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n

The thick smoke enveloped the nation\u2019s capital in a gloomy, eerie haze and prompted Major League Baseball\u2019s Cleveland Guardians to postpone their game<\/a> against Pittsburgh Pirates in Ohio. <\/p>\n

Warnings of dangerous conditions were expected to remain in effect through Saturday across a wide swath of the U.S., though there\u2019s potential for temporary improvement with storms forecast in some affected areas during the weekend.<\/p>\n

D.C. resident Stewart Verdery awoke Friday to take in his usual sunrise view of the city\u2019s famous landmarks from a rooftop, only to be greeted by a darkened horizon and no monuments in sight.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n AP AUDIO: Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes further into US, engulfing DC in eerie haze\n <\/p>\n

In an AP interview, New York resident Laura Shapiro says she\u2019s well aware of the diminishing air quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty crazy to wake up at sunrise and not see the sun when it\u2019s not even raining,\u201d he said by phone after posting a video of the surreal scene on X<\/a>. \u201cAnd it smells like somebody\u2019s having the world\u2019s largest cookout.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The U.S. Capitol is seen, as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Rahmat Gul)<\/p>\n

The U.S. Capitol is seen, as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Rahmat Gul)<\/p>\n

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No end in sight for smoky conditions <\/p>\n

There may be pockets of relief at times, such as this weekend, but the smoky conditions won\u2019t be gone anytime soon as the fires continue to burn largely unchecked, cautioned Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service based in Maryland. <\/p>\n

Wildfires are burning in the Ontario area of Canada as well as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota<\/a>, which U.S. officials have closed as they fight to put out the blazes. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe source of the smoke is going to continue on for certainly a week, probably,\u201d Oravec said. \u201cIt\u2019s just going to depend upon which way the wind\u2019s blowing as to where the smoke is going to affect the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Thick<\/p>\n

Thick smoke from the Camp Fire hangs in the air over Moose Lake as multiple wildfires burning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness prompted its closure and evacuation Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Ely, Minn. (Anthony Souffle\/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)<\/p>\n

Thick smoke from the Camp Fire hangs in the air over Moose Lake as multiple wildfires burning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness prompted its closure and evacuation Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Ely, Minn. (Anthony Souffle\/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)<\/p>\n

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On Friday, communities in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, including Detroit, again registered some of the worst air quality<\/a> in the world, according to IQAir<\/a>, an air quality monitoring website.<\/p>\n

Not far behind Detroit was Washington, D.C., where the smoke created eerie scenes<\/a>. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and other national landmarks were enveloped in an orange-hued haze throughout much of the day. <\/p>\n

People, particularly those with heart or lung disease, older adults and children, were urged to limit or avoid going outside until air quality improved.<\/p>\n

Long-term exposure to smoky conditions can complicate existing health problems and lead to chronic and deadly issues, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular and neurological diseases and premature death, officials warned.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Smoke<\/p>\n

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets downtown Cleveland, forcing the postponement of a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)<\/p>\n

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets downtown Cleveland, forcing the postponement of a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)<\/p>\n

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For Maria Travela, Friday was her first day outside since after smoke from the wildfires blanketed the Chicago area early Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it\u2019s better. This morning, it was bad,\u201d said Travela, who has asthma and wore a mask as she crossed a bridge over the Chicago River downtown. \u201cThey were saying that, for people like me, with asthma, any kind of issues like that, it would be bad for your lungs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump criticizes Canada<\/p>\n

Hundreds of wildfires are burning in Canada, including about 190 in northern Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference. Flames destroyed the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation community, and 10 northern Ontario communities have been evacuated or were being evacuated, with more possible.<\/p>\n

The increase of fire in vast Canadian forests has largely been blamed on climate change.<\/p>\n

In response to the smoke, U.S. President Donald Trump made a social media post Friday that blamed Canada for its forest management and threatened additional tariffs on Canada.<\/p>\n

The Canadian government didn\u2019t initially respond to questions about Trump\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n

Asked about a Michigan lawmaker\u2019s criticism about the smoke, Ford noted Canada has helped the U.S. fight fires in the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s some politicians out there chirping away, maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help, because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends and that\u2019s what you\u2019re supposed to do,\u201d Ford said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Smoke<\/p>\n

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets downtown Cleveland, forcing the postponement of a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)<\/p>\n

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets downtown Cleveland, forcing the postponement of a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)<\/p>\n

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Conditions should improve for Sunday\u2019s World Cup final<\/p>\n

In the New York City area, there was also concern<\/a> about how the smoky air might impact Sunday\u2019s World Cup final between soccer powerhouses Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. <\/p>\n

Oravec said winds will continue pushing the wildfire smoke east in the U.S., though conditions should be better on game day than on Saturday.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, a thick haze tinged with orange and yellow darkened skies across several states and partly obscured<\/a> Manhattan\u2019s skyline.<\/p>\n

Officials from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other Northeast states distributed free K95 face masks, canceled outdoor programming and opened libraries and other public buildings as cooling centers where people could get a respite from the sooty air. <\/p>\n

As Friday progressed, air quality measures improved from \u201cunhealthy\u201d to \u201cmoderate\u201d in some places in and around New York City. A strong sun broke through a thin veil of smoke, and clear blue sky was visible across much of the region by Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A person takes a selfie from the Top of The Rock observation deck at the Rockefeller Center during an air quality health advisory due to wildfire smoke, in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)<\/p>\n

A person takes a selfie from the Top of The Rock observation deck at the Rockefeller Center during an air quality health advisory due to wildfire smoke, in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)<\/p>\n

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Rainstorms could bring reprieve in some places<\/p>\n

Saturday brings a high chance of thunderstorms across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, which will help dampen the bad air. <\/p>\n

Organizers of the All-American Soap Box Derby in Ohio hope air quality improves enough to allow for Saturday\u2019s championship races. The major annual competition in Akron scrubbed Friday\u2019s events over air quality concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they made the right choice,\u201d said Dayna Lincoln, a pediatric nurse practitioner from Hodgdon, Maine, whose family drove 15 hours for their 9-year-old daughter\u2019s race on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad they\u2019re not forcing the kids out into it,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are kids with asthma and adults with respiratory conditions who could really suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press reporters Jim Morris in Vancouver, British Columbia, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Cybele Mayes-Osterman in Chicago contributed to this story.<\/p>\n