According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s AQI tracking page called AirNow, air quality in Northern Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and most of Wisconsin has been deemed unhealthy for sensitive people and animals. People may experience symptoms of coughing and shortness of breath and have been advised to stay indoors. Eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois showed moderate air quality on the map as of last week.

Heavy smoke at Green, Bay in Wisconsin as well as in Michigan and Chicago created hazy skies. Milwaukee and Chicago witnessed an orange sunset while heavy smoke spread as far as Detroit. Murray Kinsey, owner of a houseboat company just outside of Babbitt, Minnesota told the Associated Press, “It’s getting a little hard to breathe. But it’s not terrible. We’ve had it before, but it’s been way worse.”

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, fine particulate matter is expected to reach the red air quality index in the area which marks an unsafe level of contamination. The Appalachia and the Southeast were affected on Saturday (May 31) as smoke continued to spread. The Dakotas and Great Plains are also likely to be affected.

The fires started in the Canadian province of Manitoba, forcing evacuations. Canada is currently at the highest National Preparedness Level and has requested international help in gaining control of the situation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered full support to local authorities in helping put out the fires via a social media post.