Canadian wildfires trigger air quality alerts in four U.S. states

Hazy conditions blanketed parts of four U.S. states Monday, as smoke from wildfires in western Canada triggered air quality alerts and warnings. Canada has 146 active wildfires burning, including dozens in British Columbia and Alberta that are characterized as “out of control,” according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. In the United States, alerts were in effect in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, as winds carried plumes of smoke over the region.

Exposure to this type of particulate pollution can cause inflammation and weaken the immune system, and may also exacerbate or increase the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases. Older people, infants, children and those who are pregnant are most vulnerable when air quality worsens. The air quality index measures that small particle pollution, called PM2.5, along with four other major pollutants: ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

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