Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the Upper Peninsula Tuesday drawn in by an approaching cold front.

HOUGHTON – Residents of the western Upper Peninsula woke up to heavy smoke in the air Tuesday morning as a result of wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba were drawn in the region by an approaching cold front.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to threaten the upper Midwest, the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) said in a statement Monday through its MiAir division.

“For the most part, the worst of the smoke has remained elevated over Michigan skies, the Monday statement says. “However, an approaching cold front is showing a tendency to draw down that smoke to the surface. Surface concentrations around the front, currently in North Dakota, are showing Unhealthy levels, the statement says. “Since the U.P will the closest to the front and would be the first to see elevated conditions, we will continue our Advisory through Tuesday and reassess the situation for Wednesday when the front is projected to pass.”

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has extended the Air Quality Advisory through Tuesday June 3, for elevated levels of fine particulates.

The cold front should pass during Wednesday afternoon with decent rainfall potential, MiAir reported. While we are expecting some draw down of the smoke to the surface during the Wednesday frontal passage, it remains to be seen how the smoke will behave during the rain and following the front.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is continuing an Air Quality Advisory for elevated levels of fine particulate (PM2.5) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Pollutants within those areas could reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung diseases, diabetes, children and older adults.The Air Quality Advisory includes the following counties: Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft.