Wildfire Smoke Chokes Upper Midwest as Canadian Blazes Spur Air Alerts and Disrupt Outdoor Plans

Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday, pushing air quality into dangerous territory and spoiling outdoor summer plans across the region.

From Minnesota to Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, the air was rated “unhealthy” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with some areas in North Dakota reaching the “very unhealthy” level — among the worst in the country.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park and nearby tourist attractions in North Dakota were particularly affected. In Minnesota, visibility over lakes and forests was severely reduced, keeping vacationers away from typically busy waterfronts.

“If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it’ll turn into ham,” joked Al Chirpich, who runs the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes. Island Lake, usually dotted with boats and jet skis, was empty. “Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats lined up at my docks. Today, my boat is the only one.”

None of Chirpich’s 18 RV sites were occupied, and just a few of his seven rental cabins were booked. He hopes for a rush of visitors when the skies clear.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling said the conditions began Friday and would likely persist through the weekend. She urged people — especially those with respiratory conditions — to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use air purifiers.

“Our summers up here are fairly short, and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them,” Ritterling said. “It’s a little frustrating when there’s this smoke in the air.”

The smoke is driven by massive wildfires in Canada, where the province of Manitoba has declared a state of emergency. Over 12,600 residents have been forced to evacuate as more than 3,800 square miles have burned — the largest area scorched in three decades of digital record-keeping. Saskatchewan is also battling multiple wildfires, with under 1,000 people displaced so far.

Meanwhile, wildfires in the U.S. West are disrupting national parks and triggering evacuations. The North Rim of Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park remains closed due to a 2.3-square-mile fire, with another nearby blaze burning nearly 17 square miles on Bureau of Land Management land.

Over 200 firefighters are working to control the fires, which are burning across a high-altitude plateau between Jacob Lake, White Sage, and Lonesome.

In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is shut down as a 4.4-square-mile wildfire continues to grow. The blaze has prompted evacuations in the nearby Bostwick Park area and closed a major highway.

Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to visit the Colorado park later this week — and isn’t feeling optimistic. “I’m going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,” he said.