Officials are urging residents to use caution as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket the upper Midwest, leaving Chicago and surrounding suburbs with "very unhealthy" air quality.
According to the Air Quality Index, residents should limit time outdoors if possible Wednesday, and wear N95 masks if they must continue working outside.
Here are the latest updates from around the area.
Chicago officials, residents cope with ‘extreme’ air quality issues in city
With air quality concerns expected to last at least another day in the Chicago area, city officials are implementing a variety of strategies to help residents until conditions improve.
Those strategies include utilizing public buildings to give residents relief from the smoky air, in a similar way that the city uses those facilities for relief from the heat and the cold.
“This is what we would call an extreme,” Rich Guidice, chief of staff for Mayor Brandon Johnson, said. “Just as we have extreme heat, extreme cold, this is extremely poor air quality.”
At its worst on Tuesday, the Air Quality Index in Chicago was well above what is considered to be a “very unhealthy” level, and there likely won’t be much improvement on Wednesday.
As a result, City Hall employees are being offered an opportunity to work from home on Wednesday, and many other companies are following suit.
In addition, numerous programs and events are either being moved inside or canceled completely, with experts advising residents to limit their time outdoors until the smoke clears.
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Chicago's Air Quality Index remains elevated
As of 5 p.m., Chicago's AQI is holding steady at 258, according to officials.
An air quality alert, issued by the Illinois EPA, will remain in effect through tomorrow as officials anticipate continued issues with airborne particles.
American Lung Association has simple message: stay inside
As air quality concerns continue, the American Lung Association has a simple message: stay inside if you can.
More area alter plans amid air quality concerns
Lake Forest has moved all of their summer camps and programs indoors tomorrow.
For the duration of the air quality alert, which will continue into Wednesday, Chicago will open all public facilities for residents exposed to the unsafe air conditions. These include Englewood Center, Garfield Center, King Center, North Area Center, South Chicago Center and Trina Davila Center, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Garfield Center, located at 10 South Kedzie, is open 24 hours, according to city officials.
All park district camps, Chicago Public Schools activities, and other city activities will also be moved indoors wherever possible.
Evanston has also established “clean center hours” at Robert Crown Community Center, located at 1801 Main Street. The center will be open until 10 p.m. Tuesday and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, officials said.
Those who need shelter outside of those hours are encouraged to call Evanston 311 at 847-448-4311, or Evanston police at 847-866-5000.
Winnetka canceled its children's concert and movie event on Tuesday night.
Waukegan also canceled an Arts Park event. It will resume on Thursday, officials say.
"Very unhealthy" air quality uncommon in Chicago
While Chicago's Air Quality Index has risen to 250, firmly in the "very unhealthy" category, it is unusual for it to be this high.
According to Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, the city usually has good air quality.
"It's actually pretty unusual for us to fall into it based on that PM2.5 (level)," she said.
According to data from AirNow, Chicago hasn't seen an AQI of over 160 in the last month, and only reached above 150 once in the month of June.
Chicago, suburbs cancel outdoor events due to poor air quality
With air quality continuing to worsen in the Chicago area, a variety of events have been canceled or moved indoors for the safety of attendees.
The Chicago Park District canceled their “Movies in the Park” event for Tuesday night because of the weather, according to officials.The district also says they are working to “move programs, including summer camps, indoors to the fullest extent possible.”Earlier in the day, officials in Evanston announced that they were closing the city’s beaches because of the poor air quality.
In addition, Evanston announced that their Starlight Concert event for Tuesday night had been canceled because of the conditions.
Chicago's air quality continues to deteriorate
The Air Quality Index for Chicago has continued to worsen Tuesday afternoon, with officials saying its at its worst level yet.
As of 2 p.m., Chicago's AQI stands at 250, firmly in the "very unhealthy" range and drifting toward "hazardous" levels, officials say. If the AQI exceeds 300, then officials say the air could pose significant health hazards to all populations, regardless of health or age.
Breathing Chicago’s air like ‘smoking half-a-pack of cigarettes,’ expert says
Air quality levels in the Chicago area have deteriorated badly on Tuesday thanks to wildfire smoke billowing down from Canada, but one expert has put the impact of those conditions in blunt terms.
As of 1 p.m., Chicago’s Air Quality Index had risen to 228, among the worst in the world, and Dr. Ravi Kalhan, deputy division chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Northwestern Medicine, phrased the scope of the problem in an alarming way.
“The EPA index of 20 is equivalent to smoking one cigarette a day,” Kalhan said. “Today, the air quality index in Chicago has been approaching 200. That’s like smoking a half-a-pack of cigarettes a day."
Kalhan says such high-intensity exposures to wildfire smoke typically only last a few days, but with increasing exposure to low air quality, there is a chance for “long-term risks” to public health when it comes to heart and lung diseases.
Chicago’s AQI rises to 228
Air quality in the city of Chicago is continuing to get worse on Tuesday, according to the Air Quality Index.
As of 1 p.m., Chicago’s AQI has risen to 228, which places it firmly in the “very unhealthy” category.
All residents are urged to avoid strenuous activities outdoors, and to keep any exposure to outdoor air limited at this time.
Those with heart or lung diseases, as well as older residents or children, are urged to avoid outdoor activity altogether.
How bad is Illinois air quality and what is PM2.5? A breakdown of the levels to know
Chicago's air quality entered "very unhealthy" territory just before noon Tuesday, and continued to rise.
According to the government air quality website, AirNow, the PM2.5 -- an air pollutant also known as fine particulate matter, which is causing much of the haze in the region -- reached 228 as of 1p.m. By comparison, levels were at 209 at 11:30 a.m.
Here's more information on what those numbers mean, and what we can expect the rest of the day.
Nearly 100 flights canceled in Chicago Tuesday
With visibility concerns and air quality issues stemming from Canadian wildfire smoke, nearly 100 flights have been canceled at Chicago’s airports Tuesday.
According to the city’s Department of Aviation, 86 flights have been canceled at O’Hare International Airport, while another seven have been canceled at Midway.
As of 1 p.m., Chicago’s Air Quality Index had risen to 228, which is considered “very unhealthy” by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Mayor Brandon Johnson issues statement on smoky conditions in Chicago
As Chicago deals with unhealthy air conditions Tuesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a statement as smoke continues to blanket the region.
"The City of Chicago is carefully monitoring and taking precautions as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized our Air Quality Index as 'unhealthy' due to Canadian wildfire smoke present in the Chicago region," the statement read. "We recommend children, teens, seniors, people with heart or lung disease, and individuals who are pregnant avoid strenuous activities and limit their time outdoors."
McHenry County officials urge residents to take precautions
In a press release, McHenry County health officials say they are recommending residents to take precautions amid the smoky conditions.
"(Residents should) reduce their exposure to the Canadian wildfire smoke that has created unhealthy conditions across northern Illinois," officials said in the statement.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, or those individuals with respiratory disease, should avoid strenuous activity, and keep outdoor activities short if at all possible.
Other residents are urged to shorten time they are active outdoors, and are urged to keep windows closed. Reducing vehicle trips and idling are also recommended at this time.
What is the best mask to wear for “unhealthy” air quality in Chicago?
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady is emphasizing the importance of wearing certain types of masks and respirators outdoors as the city and suburbs are impacted by smoke from Canadian wildfires.
Which masks are best? Arwady cited federal recommendations for individuals to wear N95 masks, and detailed other steps they can take to protect themselves.
Evanston closes beaches due to air quality concerns
Officials in suburban Evanston have closed area beaches for the remainder of the day Tuesday due to air quality conditions caused by Canadian wildfire smoke.
According to federal officials, Evanston’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 209 as of 11 a.m., which is considered to be “very unhealthy.”
When AQI levels reach 200 or higher, residents are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and to limit time outside. Those with respiratory issues, or heart or lung-related disease, are encouraged to avoid outdoor physical activity altogether.
Those who have to go outside can use N95 masks, but are also encouraged to take frequent breaks, according to federal officials.
Chicago air quality rises to ‘very unhealthy' level as alert issued due to wildfire smoke
Chicago air quality has officially risen to a "very unhealthy" level Tuesday as an air quality alert was issued across the entire area.
According to the government air quality website, AirNow, the PM2.5 -- an air pollutant also known as fine particulate matter, which is causing much of the haze in the region -- reached 209 as of 11:30 a.m.
Anything over 200 is considered "very unhealthy."
According to the site, such levels mean people with heart or lung diseases, older adults, children and teens should avoid physical activity outdoors. Others are urged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep any outdoor activities short and consider moving indoors or rescheduling outdoor events.
What to know about “unhealthy” air quality in Chicago area
It may look foggy outside, but the Chicago area is being blanketed by smoke billowing from wildfires that continue to rage in Canada, leaving the city with some of the unhealthiest air quality in the entire world.
Here’s what you need to know:
Air Quality Action Day issued by National Weather Service
An air quality action day has been declared for Tuesday and Wednesday by the National Weather Service amid hazardous air conditions in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Those with chronic respiratory issues, as well as children and older adults, should limit time spent outdoors.
