Officials are warning about unhealthy air quality as hazy smoke from wildfires in Canada moves into Lake and McHenry counties and the surrounding Chicago area.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow, which reports air quality in the United States, reported poor air quality in the northern Illinois and Wisconsin area Monday.
Multiple data collection sensors in Lake County and McHenry County show an air quality index of more than 151 as of Monday evening.
A reading of 151-199 means “unhealthy” and 200 and over means “very unhealthy,” according to AirNow.
Federal officials recommend residents in areas with “unhealthy” air keep their activities outside light and short and go indoors if they have symptoms.
Those in at-risk groups, including people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant women, should consider moving all activities indoors.
Residents throughout the Chicagoland area reported seeing hazy smoke lingering Monday afternoon into the evening.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says the smoke seen in the Midwest is due to wildfires in Canada.
The NWS said the poor air quality will continue into Tuesday.
The weather service has declared Tuesday an “air quality action day” for northern Indiana and Wisconsin but has not issued an air quality alert for Illinois yet.