Wildfire Smoke Degrades Air Quality Across North America
Wildfires in Canada during July 2026 have significantly impacted air quality across North America. According to NASA, brown carbon emissions from these fires, tracked from July 14 to July 20, caused widespread haze and unhealthy air conditions. The smoke, carried southeast by winds, affected areas from southern Ontario to the Upper Midwest and Northeast U.S., including cities like Detroit, Toronto, and New York City. Detroit experienced hazardous air quality for several consecutive days, while other regions saw conditions ranging from unhealthy to hazardous. By July 19 and 20, storms began clearing the smoke in parts of the East, improving air quality to moderate levels. However, new fires in the Pacific Northwest started to degrade air quality in that region. 
