After 10th air quality alert, Michigan official urges Canada to do more about wildfires

Aya Fayad, The Detroit News on Aug 2, 2025

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DETROIT — As Michigan extends its 10th air quality advisory of the season through Sunday, some Michigan officials are urging Canada to do more about the wildfires and their negative impacts on Michigan's air quality.

"Breathing in the Canadian wildfires smoke cannot be the new normal," said Candice Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner.

Since June, wildfires in Canada have caused decreased air quality in bordering states in the U.S., prompting the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to so far issue 10 advisories warning against unhealthy breathing conditions.

Miller called for U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to press Canadian officials to increase efforts combating wildfires and improve forestry management.

“Ambassador Hoekstra needs to make some noise,” Miller said. “Smoke from Canada wildfires should not be a regular part or our summers but unfortunately that’s become the norm in our state and others. It’s unacceptable for our friends in Canada to simply say, ‘The fires will burn out’ or ‘Wait until December.’"

The Canadian consulate in Detroit did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The extended advisory initially issued on Thursday was due to elevated levels of fine particulate (PM2.5), EGLE said. Pollutants across the state are expected to be in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range until Saturday, with some locations reaching the unhealthy range.

"Smoke from Canadian wildfires remains over the state Thursday, with PM2.5 concentrations ranging from USG to Unhealthy," Stephanie M. Hengesbach, meteorology specialist with EGLE's Air Quality Division, said in a statement. "Some locations, mostly in the Lower Peninsula, may experience improvements in air quality from late Thursday into Friday; however, that is expected to be short-lived as additional plumes drop into the region. High pressure settling overhead will limit dispersion and keep smoke at the surface through the end of the week."

During midafternoon on Thursday, the air quality index in central Macomb County was between 140 to 150, a range described as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

“That description misses the mark, in my opinion. Smoke is unhealthy for all groups,” Miller said.

At the same time in the Marquette area, the air quality index was 139, a day after measuring 161. In Seney, in the central portion of the Upper Peninsula, the reading was 160 during the morning of July 30, the highest in the state.

“It’s incredibly unneighborly for them to take such a cavalier attitude about their uncontrolled wildfires that now seem to burn on a regular basis every year," Miller said. "Meanwhile, we see so many more people suffering eye irritation, coughing, shortness of breath, dizziness and other related issues from the Canadian wildlife smoke.”

During the advisory, the National Weather Service recommends that, when possible, residents avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially people with heart disease and respiratory diseases like asthma. Symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat and eyes should be monitored.

Additionally, activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning and use of residential wood burning devices should be reduced or eliminated, officials said. Households should keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters.

Michigan residents can check current conditions through EGLE's MiAir Quality Index Dashboard. Residents can also use AirNow to check local conditions by their city or ZIP code.