Mark Wilcox/Daily Mining Gazette Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to make things challenging for most of the Upper Peninsula as of Friday Morning. The smoke that has been in the area since Tuesday is expected to remain through today, and possibly longer.

HOUGHTON — For the past several days, the Keweenaw, along with most of the Upper Peninsula, has been covered in a hazy blanket of smoke. Air quality alerts had been issued for most of the region along with advisories for those with chronic health concerns.

The smoke has prompted some outdoor activities to be suspended and resulted in many people digging out the masks they put away after the worst of the COVID pandemic had passed. It has also prompted many questions, such as “where is the smoke coming from?” “and how did it find its way here?” The answer to the first question can be found in the title of the Oscar-nominated song from an animated South Park movie — “Blame Canada.”

Stephanie Hengesbach, a meteorology specialist in the Air Quality Division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) said the smokey air we’ve been breathing has traveled hundreds of miles to get here. “The smoke currently over Michigan is from Canadian wildfires,” Hengesbach said. “Primarily in the central portions of the Saskatchewan and Manitoba providences.”

As one might suspect there are more than a few fires responsible for this much smoke, this far away. According to a Thursday article in the Detroit Free Press, there are more than 600 active fires across Canada, more than 430 burning out of control.

Hengesbach said the smoke began dropping in behind a frontal boundary passage beginning Tuesday. “Northerly winds behind the boundary pushed smoke plumes located to our northwest to the southeast and into Michigan.” The duration of Air Quality Alerts issues by EGLE has been extended throughout the week, and Hengeesbach says those alerts could continue for a bit longer. “At this time, we anticipate the higher pollution to linger at least through Saturday (today), but possibly longer. High pressure is forecast to settle ove the state this weekend.” She said this will result in poor dispersion and subsidence which will keep smoke at the surface. “Winds turn more southerly early next week so that should help push the smoke back north. This is something we will keep an eye on, updating our forecast daily.”

Now that we know where the smoke comes from and how long it will be around, the question is “How do we deal with it?” Hengesbach offered these tips:

• Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution such as outdoor burning and the use of residential wood burning devices. However it does not appear that campfire restrictions or bans have been imposed at local campgrounds.

• Inside homes, it is advised to keep windows closed overnight to present smoke from getting indoors

• If posssible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or high rated filters

Hengesbach advised for up-to-date air quality data in Michigan, visit the MiAir website at air-egle.hub.arcgis.com. “For further health information, please see the MDHHS Wildfire Smoke and Your Health site at michigan.gob\v/mdhhs