The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory for elevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5) in the western half of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Pollutants within those areas are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. The Air Quality Advisory includes the following counties: Baraga, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, and Ontonagon. A cold front moving down from Ontario early Friday morning will bring wildfire smoke plumes from fires in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan into the region. As a result, we anticipate PM2.5 levels rising into the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) range across the western portion of the Upper Peninsula. There is a possibility that hourly levels could reach the Unhealthy (Red AQI) range for a short period of time. It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases such as asthma. Monitor for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat, and eyes. Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Tips for households: Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters. For up-to-date air quality data for Michigan visit the MiAir site: https://air-egle.hub.arcgis.com/ For further information, please see EPA's Air Now site for up-to- date air quality data at https://www.airnow.gov For further health information, please see MDHHS' Wildfire Smoke and Your Health site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury- prev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke. Air Quality Advisory Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy May 29, 2025
