Smoke from Canada wildfires surrounds Michigan's Mackinac Bridge
Drivers traveling over Michigan's Mackinac Bridge on Wednesday may experience a haze. However, officials say it is not fog but smoke.
In a , bridge officials say the smoke is coming from wildfires in Canada. Over 33,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes in three Canadian provinces. Officials have declared a state of emergency in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where crews and military forces were battling this week to try to contain dozens of out-of-control fires.
In Michigan, air quality advisories were issued last week across the state in response to the smoke. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) said conditions would reach "unhealthy for sensitive groups" and that there was "a possibility that hourly levels could reach the unhealthy range for a short period of time."
Additionally, a red flag warning was issued in Western Upper Michigan on Monday, alerting residents of potential fire weather conditions.
Canada's wildfire season typically begins in April and lasts until late September, with most activity occurring in June and July. In recent years, however, due to warmer weather and drier conditions, it has started as early as February.
They've also impacted air quality in other states, including Wisconsin and Minnesota.
