Thick smoke from wildfires burning in Canada and Minnesota covered Chicago and the northern suburbs in a dense haze Thursday, sharply reducing visibility and creating potentially hazardous air-quality conditions.
CHICAGO — A heavy layer of wildfire smoke moved across Chicagoland on Thursday, July 16, turning the sky milky white and making familiar landmarks difficult to see.
Marketing Media TV video shows wildfire haze along I-94 near Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.
The smoke originated from wildfires burning across Canada and Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Winds carried the smoke south across the Great Lakes and into northeastern Illinois, where it became trapped close to the ground.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an Air Pollution Action Day for the Chicago metropolitan area. An Air Quality Alert was also issued for much of northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana.
Air quality in Chicago reached an AQI of 253 Thursday morning, placing it in the “very unhealthy” category. Conditions were even worse in parts of the northern suburbs. Waukegan recorded an AQI of 446 early Thursday, which falls within the “hazardous” category, according to CBS Chicago.
At very unhealthy levels, everyone—not only people in sensitive groups—may experience health effects and should avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory conditions face an especially high risk.
Residents are encouraged to remain indoors when possible, keep windows closed and check current conditions at AirNow.gov before spending extended time outside.
The thick smoke also reduced visibility on highways and partially obscured the Chicago skyline. The haze was especially noticeable across Lake County and communities north of the city.
According to WTTW Chicago, stronger winds and storms could begin clearing some of the smoke Friday, with more significant improvement possible by Saturday. However, additional rounds of smoke may remain possible while the wildfires continue burning.
Do you have original video showing weather, breaking news or an interesting event in Chicago or the suburbs? Contact Marketing Media TV—your footage may be featured on our website and social media channels.
