Air quality alerts were issued on Thursday, July 16, 2026, across at least 17 U.S. states, ranging from Minnesota to New Hampshire and Virginia, due to dangerous wildfire smoke drifting south from Canada. More than 180 wildfires burning in Canada have produced smoke that has traveled over a thousand miles, reaching major cities including New York City, where the East River was visibly blanketed in smoke on July 15.

Detroit, Michigan, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, are among the cities experiencing the worst air quality globally, with Detroit's Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching an extreme level of approximately 600 on the morning of July 16. For context, the "hazardous" AQI level begins at 300. Northern Minnesota is also contending with at least nine large fires contributing to the smoke.

An ABC News graphic forecasted these conditions for July 16, highlighting the widespread impact of the smoke across the affected states.

Sources