As wildfires continue to rage in Western Canada, communities in affected areas and surrounding provinces have been blanketed by thick plumes of smoke, prompting air quality alerts extending into parts of the United States this week.

Smoke conditions in some parts of the U.S. Midwest have become so bad that the air quality has been categorized as "hazardous."

Exposure to wildfire smoke has been found to cause early death and respiratory issues, says a 2024 report from Health Canada.

**FYI - the smoke map is updated regularly on the website.