Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes farther into the U.S. and engulfs D.C. in haze

By — Philip Marcelo, Associated Press Philip Marcelo, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/wildfire-smoke-from-canada-and-minnesota-pushes-farther-into-the-u-s-and-engulfs-d-c-in-haze Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes farther into the U.S. and engulfs D.C. in haze Nation Jul 18, 2026 11:20 AM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states muddled through another day of unhealthy air from uncontrolled wildfires on Friday. The thick smoke enveloped the nation's capital in a gloomy, eerie haze and prompted Major League Baseball's Cleveland Guardians to postpone their game against Pittsburgh Pirates in Ohio. WATCH: News Wrap: Smoke from wildfires leads to unsafe air quality in U.S. Warnings of dangerous conditions were expected to remain in effect through Saturday across a wide swath of the U.S., though there's potential for temporary improvement with storms forecast in some affected areas during the weekend. D.C. resident Stewart Verdery awoke Friday to take in his usual sunrise view of the city's famous landmarks from a rooftop, only to be greeted by a darkened horizon and no monuments in sight. "It's pretty crazy to wake up at sunrise and not see the sun when it's not even raining," he said by phone after posting a video of the surreal scene on X. "And it smells like somebody's having the world's largest cookout." No end in sight for smoky conditions There may be pockets of relief at times, such as this weekend, but the smoky conditions won't be gone anytime soon as the fires continue to burn largely unchecked, cautioned Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service based in Maryland. Wildfires are burning in the Ontario area of Canada as well as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, which U.S. officials have closed as they fight to put out the blazes. "The source of the smoke is going to continue on for certainly a week, probably," Oravec said. "It's just going to depend upon which way the wind's blowing as to where the smoke is going to affect the most." On Friday, communities in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, including Detroit, again registered some of the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir, an air quality monitoring website. The New York City skyline and the One World Trade Center, as wildfire smoke impacts air quality in New York City, on July 17, 2026. Photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters Not far behind Detroit was Washington, D.C., where the smoke created eerie scenes. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and other national landmarks were enveloped in an orange-hued haze throughout much of the day. People, particularly those with heart or lung disease, older adults and children, were urged to limit or avoid going outside until air quality improved. Long-term exposure to smoky conditions can com