Chicago residents may notice hazy skies and reduced visibility on Friday as smoke from Canadian wildfires makes its way into the region, according to ABC7 meteorologist Jaisol Martinez.
A warm spell is also on the horizon, with temperatures set to rise Friday and stay elevated through the weekend. Martinez notes that the smoky conditions are expected to move into the Chicago area by late morning or early afternoon.
While no air quality alerts have been issued yet, meteorologists are closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as needed. There’s also a possibility the smoke could linger throughout the weekend.
What’s Fueling the Smoke?
The haze is tied to a growing wildfire emergency in Manitoba, where 22 active fires have prompted a provincial state of emergency. One blaze, which began just days ago in nearby Saskatchewan, has rapidly expanded.
So far this year, Manitoba has reported 102 wildfires—far surpassing its seasonal average of 77. Fire crews from across Canada have been deployed to battle the flames.
Canada’s wildfire season typically runs from May through September. Last year’s season was the country’s worst on record, filling skies across North America with persistent and hazardous smoke for months.
