COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A thick, camp-like blanket of wildfire smoke continues to smother Branch County and all southern Michigan, keeping the entire state under a strict Air Quality Alert through Friday.
Driven by massive, expanding blazes in northeastern Minnesota and parts of Canada, fine particulate pollution has spiked into “hazardous” levels, making the air quality some of the worst ever for the state.
For the second day in a row we will be dealing poor visibility and a heavy burning smell in the air that has caused burning eyes, scratchy throats and overall difficulty just breathing for many.
State environmental and health officials are continuing to urge residents to limit strenuous outdoor activity and keep windows tightly closed. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recommends running central air conditioning on recirculation mode with high-efficiency filters to keep the toxic outdoor air from penetrating homes and vehicles.
While an approaching cold front is expected to shift wind patterns and bring a temporary window of relief by Saturday afternoon, officials caution that with more than 100 out-of-control blazes still burning across Canada, the smoke could easily swing back into the entire Great Lakes region early next week.
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