Wildfires in Canada are to blame for more than just the hazy skies and the reddish glow of the sun you have noticed in Door and Kewaunee counties. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an air quality advisory for several of the state’s counties including Brown, Door, Kewaunee, and Manitowoc counties. The smoke from the wildfires in Canada is expected to move into the area at around midnight Thursday, which is when concentrations of particulate matter (PM 2.5) are supposed to increase. The National Weather Service says this could be made worse when a cold front rolls into the area. The air quality index is expected to reach the “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” though it is expected to be worse in the western part of the state compared to the northeastern part. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.  The air quality advisory is expected to expire at around midnight Friday night.

Picture and accompanying graphic courtesy of National Weather Service Green Bay