UNDATED (WSAU-Wheeler News) Now that the rains are gone, Wisconsinites are starting to feel the effects of heavy smoke from wildfires in Alaska and Canada. The state D-N-R issued an air quality alert until three this afternoon for all of the Badger State. Several monitoring sites in northern and west central Wisconsin registered air levels overnight that are unhealthy for young kids, seniors, and those with heart-and-respiratory problems.
The D-N-R’s notice said wildfire smoke has been over Wisconsin for several days, but it has finally come down to the surface. Rains of up to 7.3-inches prevented the surface pollution yesterday. But those storms moved out late last night, and the D-N-R says the ground smoke will move southeastward across the state today. Widths and densities will vary at any given location.
It’s worse in neighboring Minnesota, where the Twin Cities and other places have their highest air pollution levels in a decade.
