Wisconsin Air Quality Alert extended through Thursday

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – Smoke from Canadian wildfires began to worsen air quality in the eastern U.S. today Wednesday, June 4 as several Midwestern states continued to battle conditions that seemed unhealthy by the federal government.

The fires have forced thousands of Canadians to flee their homes, and the smoke has even reached Europe. In the U.S., the Midwest continued to get the worst of the unhealthy air. A swath of that region of the U.S. had unhealthy air quality Wednesday, according to an Environmental Protection Agency map.

The National Weather Service has extended the Air Quality Alert for Wisconsin through noon Thursday, June 5.

Sensitive groups should consider rescheduling or moving all activities inside. Go inside if you have symptoms. People with asthma, follow your asthma action plan and keep quick-relief medicine handy. People with heart disease, symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem. If you have any of these, contact your healthcare provider. Everyone else, keep outdoor activities shorter and less intense. Go inside if you have symptoms.

Smoke will continue to impact surface air quality across southern and eastern Wisconsin. The unhealthy AQI is more likely to affect eastern areas of the Green Bay and Lake Michigan water bodies. Sensitive groups are likely to be affected in the western portions of the advisory area.

For more information on current air quality, visit the air quality interactive map here.