Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are muddling through another day of hazy, unhealthy air as smoke from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada push south and east.
The Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol, are barely visible from an overlook in Arlington, Va. , as heavy smoke from wildfires shrouds the landscape in Washington, Friday, July 17, 2026.
Visitors wear face masks, as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. The U.S. Capitol is seen from a street in Washington as heavy smoke from wildfires shrouds the atmosphere, Friday, July 17, 2026. The U.S. Capitol is seen, as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington.
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. The Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol, are barely visible from an overlook in Arlington, Va. , as heavy smoke from wildfires shrouds the landscape in Washington, Friday, July 17, 2026.
Air quality warnings were expected to remain in effect through Saturday across a wide swath of the U.S., but there’s potential for temporary relief with rains and storms forecast over a chunk of the affected region over the weekend. The smoky conditions won't be gone anytime soon, though, as fires burn unchecked across a remote region of Canada, cautioned Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service based in Maryland.
Wildfires in a wilderness area in Minnesota are also contributing to the smoke.
“The source of the smoke is going to continue on for certainly a week, probably,” he said. “So in some form, there’s going to be smoke that gets transported from the fires downstream, and it’s just going to depend upon which way the wind’s blowing as to where the smoke is going to affect the most. ”. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and other national landmarks could be seen enveloped in a thick, orange-hued haze in the morning.
“Wow that Canadian smoke haze is no joke,” Stewart Verdery, a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,Air in and around Washington was expected to go from bad to worse as the day progressed, reaching “very unhealthy” and potentially “hazardous” levels on the air quality index, regional officials said. People, particularly those with heart or lung disease, older adults and children, were urged to limit or avoid going outside as much as possible until air quality improved.in the New York City area about how the foul air might impact the World Cup final match between soccer powerhouses Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
Oravec said winds will continue pushing the wildfire smoke east in the U.S., though conditions should be better on game day Sunday than on Saturday. 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.
As Friday progressed, air quality measures improved from “unhealthy” to “moderate” in some places in and around New York City. A strong sun broke through a thin veil of smoke, and large chunks of clear blue sky were visible across much of the region by Friday afternoon. Saturday brings a high chance of thunderstorms across much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, which will help dampen the bad air.
How long the reprieve lasts depends on what happens hundreds of miles north, as some 100 wildfires burn without end in sight, largely in the Ontario area in Canada. In the U.S., officials have closed the Boundary Waters while battling multiple fires. 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. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Luvbug put something in the fridge to keep me cool on a hot summer day...not what you're thinkingMan found fatally shot at Broward Road apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Northside: JSOItems removed from memorial for 12-year-old student killed in crash outside Patriot Oaks AcademyHOA votes to continue legal battle with Jacksonville influencer in push for her removalFamily remembers Georgia man who went missing near Huguenot ParkJustice 4 All: Could your teen’s online post become a criminal case? St. Johns County Fire Rescue urges caution after E-bike charging believed to spark home fireDHS responds after encounter with ICE ends with man being killed by semi in St. Johns CountyHow WareWorks is opening doors for those looking to ‘Trade Up’
Please follow us on Google to support usStewart Verdery Environment Health Climate Bob Oravec
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canada wildfire smoke chokes Toronto, air quality worst than New Delhi, KinshasaCanada is reporting 835 active wildfires, including 112 considered out of control, with poor air quality spreading to US state of New York.
Read more »
Minnesota, Canada wildfire smoke chokes Great Lakes with dangerous air qualityA choking veil of wildfire smoke is producing dangerous air quality across the Great Lakes as a dystopian haze settles over the region.
Read more »
Wildfire Smoke Puts Millions At Risk Across Midwest, NortheastMillions of people across the Midwest and Northeast are breathing dangerous air this week as heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota spreads across the region.
Read more »
Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes further into US, engulfing DC in eerie hazeNEW YORK (AP) — Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states muddled through another day of unhealthy air from uncontrolled
Read more »