The Canadian government says it expects another severe wildfire season.
In the 2025 Wildfire Season Forecast, Public Safety Canada said there were 225 fires were blazing in Canada, many of them out of control.
The fires are damaging infrastructure, communities, and natural habitats. Due to public safety risks, 27,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes.
Richard Carr is a Wildfire and Research Analyst with the Canadian Forest Service. He said that long term drought and high winds have been occurring in parts of Canada since 2022.
Carr said fire can sometimes be a good thing. It can help clear out fallen timber in the forest, allowing for regrowth. But he said the hotter temperatures and drier conditions happening with climate change are creating fuel for the fires to persist and grow. He said that can increase the intensity and frequency of the fires.
In Canada, about 3.7 million hectares have burned, surpassing the average, he said. If this continues, Carr predicted the wildfires could reach the levels seen in 2023.
According to Natural Resources Canada, higher than normal temperatures are expected for the remainder of the summer. Drought is expected to increase by mid-July and August, creating weather conditions that elevate fire risk. Wildfire activity is predicted to increase in late summer.
The smoke from the wildfires has already affected air quality in the U.S.
Alec Kownacki is a Meteorologist in the Air Quality Division at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. He said residual smoke lingers, influencing surface level ozone. In Michigan, surface level ozone and smoke are the two primary factors in determining the AQI, or air quality index.
Kownacki said Michigan typically experiences wildfire smoke every summer, but it is often found in the upper atmosphere and does not affect daily life. This is because the distance from western areas of Canada such as British Columbia gives the smoke time to disperse upwards as it travels.
The wildfires in 2025 originated primarily in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Kownacki said. These Canadian provinces are closer to Michigan, so the smoke did not have enough distance to travel to disperse to the upper atmosphere. As a result, the Midwest area has at times experienced poor air quality levels.
“What we were seeing in the Upper Peninsula, Marquette, and the Keweenaw Peninsula were values way into 1,000 (micrograms),” said Kownacki. “Northern Wisconsin and well into Minnesota were seeing the worst air quality we’ve seen here in Michigan.”
Marquette's daily average verged from the unhealthy to very unhealthy range, which is red to purple on the AQI chart. By early June, the smoke traveled to Detroit and affected the entire Lower Peninsula with air quality levels well into the unhealthy range.
Jaclyn Anderson, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service out of the Detroit and Pontiac area, said that in the last couple of years there has been an uptick in hazy conditions caused by persistent smoke.
“Anything that can bring an uptick in dry conditions, very low relative humidities, very warm temperatures, and anything that can introduce any sort of significant wind are the weather patterns that we look for,” she said.
Kownacki recommends protecting yourself as much as possible, especially if you're extra sensitive to air pollution. This includes staying proactive and trusting your body. If the air quality becomes unhealthy, stay inside, close the windows and use AC or a fan to filter out contaminated air. If you have to go outdoors during high smoke concentrations, he recommends wearing a N95 mask when possible.
Preventative measures are key to remaining safe. Anderson suggests taking frequent breaks from the sun, drinking plenty of water, and wearing lighter, looser clothing.
Anderson said that if you’re deciding to burn, know your local restrictions. Make sure you obtain a burn permit if needed, ensure the weather is favorable to burn, and maintain caution when handling objects that could maintain a spark outdoors.
To stay informed on the air quality levels in your area, you can visit https://www.airnow.gov/.
