Prairies and Midwest Air Quality Alert: Canadian Wildfire Smoke

Is the air quality good in the Prairies and Midwest?

As of Thursday, June 13, 2025, wildfire smoke from Canadian wildfires is affecting air quality across the Canadian Prairies and U.S. Midwest.

Smoke is traveling southeast into Canadian cities and villages across Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Smoke continued to drift into the United States, most strongly impacting air quality in Midwestern states, including Illinois,  Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.

Where is the air quality poor?

As of June 13, air quality ranges from “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” to “Hazardous” across multiple Canadian and American communities, including:

• Bismarck, North Dakota
  
• Charlottesville, Virginia
• Chicago, Illinois
  
• Columbus, Ohio
• Dayton, Ohio
• Edmonton, Alberta
• Hagerstown, Maryland
• Medora, North Dakota
• Minot, North Dakota
  
• Peace River, Alberta
• Peoria, Illinois
  
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Regina, Saskatchewan
  
• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
  
• Williston, North Dakota
  
• Winnipeg, Manitoba

There is widespread "moderate" air quality across the Eastern and Central U.S. and Canada, where smoke is impacting air quality.

What is causing poor air quality in Prairies and Midwest?

There are multiple active wildfire complexes burning across northern Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

Winds have pushed the smoke into the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes region.

Are there any alerts in place?

The National Weather Service has issued air quality alerts for Montana and South Dakota [1].

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.