IDEM Declares Air Quality Action Day Amid Canadian Wildfire Smoke
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has declared an Air Quality Action Day for Northwest Indiana on Monday, July 20, 2026, due to ongoing poor air quality caused by Canadian wildfire smoke. This marks over a week of unhealthy air conditions in the Great Lakes region, including parts of Indiana and Illinois. Fine particulate matter levels are expected to remain in the unhealthy range for Northwest, North Central, and Northeast Indiana, while other parts of the state may experience levels unhealthy for sensitive groups. High pressure and light winds are recirculating smoke across the region, contributing to elevated pollution levels. According to AirNow, the air quality index (AQI) in Northwest Indiana was 116 at noon Monday, categorized as unhealthy for sensitive groups. The Illinois EPA has also extended an air quality alert for Northern and Central Illinois, with Chicago experiencing some of the worst air quality among major U.S. cities on Sunday.