“It started life as a sapling, growing over the decades. It avoided fires until now and the last remnants of its being floated all the way here to land on you. That’s saddening. A beautiful tree to ash.” – A.S.
I live in southeast Michigan hundreds of miles from the fires that are choking our skies, but last night a solitary ash floated down & landed on my glasses. When I texted my best friend yesterday to tell them, they replied with the heartbreaking words above 😔
Bill took this photo yesterday in Plainwell & shared it in the Michigan in Pictures group on Facebook. I hope that you will share your pictures of what you’re seeing today and every day in there & that you follow Bill’s Pictures on Facebook!
Our air quality begins to dip across the majority of the state as we head into the mid-afternoon hours today, July 15th, 2026. By sunset tonight, nearly the entire state will see 150+ μg/m³ AQI concentration, which translates to very unhealthy on the air quality index. Overnight, those winds out of the northwest do not stop, bumping parts of our area into the hazardous to everyone category at 250.5-500 μg/m³ AQI concentration if recent short-term model trends are correct.
Dangerous air quality levels like these are rare, so please take your respiratory health very seriously. Smoke concerns mixed with the already excessive heat concerns both today and tomorrow will also be a factor for higher mortality rates amongst all age/health groups, per research collected by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). All data shown is for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
For sure follow Michigan Storm Chasers on Facebook and the MiStormChasers YouTube channel that often includes live reporting on Michigan weather events. You can also check out the smoke tag on Michigan in Pictures for a reminder of what last summer’s wildfire smoke was like.
The top pic from the Mackinac Bridge Authority webcam is a view looking north from Mackinaw City while the other is looking south across the Mighty Mac from St. Ignace.
Livestream from the Riviera Motel in Mackinaw City
Here’s what the webcam view looked like when I posted this…
So far, smoke-induced air quality advisories have been issued for more than 20 days. Last year, there were none due to wildfires.
…Atmospheric conditions and wind direction bring smoke from Canada into Michigan. High-and low-pressure systems are common ways smoke is transported, said Rebecca Hansen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Grand Rapids office. Most recently, all those cloudless skies—due to a high-pressure system—helped blow the smoke right into the state, she said. ‘”Due to the light winds moving around, that’s helping the smoke stay over the area too … Canada has been experiencing warmer and drier conditions, and that definitely increases the wildfire risk,” Hansen said.
“Breathing in the Canadian wildfires smoke cannot be the new normal,” said Candice Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner.
Since June, wildfires in Canada have caused decreased air quality in bordering states in the U.S., prompting the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to so far issue ten advisories warning against unhealthy breathing conditions. Miller called for U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to press Canadian officials to increase efforts combating wildfires and improve forestry management.
“Ambassador Hoekstra needs to make some noise,” Miller said. “Smoke from Canada wildfires should not be a regular part or our summers but unfortunately that’s become the norm in our state and others. It’s unacceptable for our friends in Canada to simply say, ‘The fires will burn out’ or ‘Wait until December.’”
…During mid-afternoon on Thursday, the air quality index in central Macomb County was between 140 to 150, a range described as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” “That description misses the mark, in my opinion. Smoke is unhealthy for all groups,” Miller said. At the same time in the Marquette area, the air quality index was 139, a day after measuring 161. In Seney, in the central portion of the Upper Peninsula, the reading was 160 during the morning of July 30, the highest in the state.
Ryan took these photos last night on Belle Isle at sunset. Click the pic above to follow Ryan & see more on Facebook and for sure check out J&C Photography to view & purchase his work and to hire him for photographic services including drone photography & some very cool 360 degree panoramas.
“Pollutants across the state are expected to reach the very unhealthy to unhealthy range in northern locations, with ranges of unhealthy to (unhealthy for sensitive groups) further south,” according to the service. Wildfire smoke from Canada is pushing into Michigan from till Monday. Increased fine particulate levels reached the western portion of the Upper Peninsula on Saturday afternoon.
This zoomed in view of the live Mackinac Bridge webcam at the Riviera Motel shows how much the smoke from wildfires is impacting the view of the Bridge this morning in Mackinac City.
“Unfortunately, what you’re seeing today is not fog surrounding the Mackinac Bridge but smoke coming from the wildfires and our neighbors to the North.” -The Mackinac Bridge on X (which I won’t link to)
Yesterday morning the Mackinac Bridge Cam captured smoke so dense that it looked like the bridge was shrouded in fog! There’s less today but it’s still an astonishing amount of smoke so be sure to keep an eye on your local air quality because as the map shows, it’s not great right now!
The smoke carries tiny particles of ash and soot called PM 2.5 — flecks of particulate matter that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter, or about one-thirtieth the width of a human hair.
Stephanie Hengesbach, a meteorologist with the state’s air quality division, said those particles are especially dangerous for people with heart or lung problems.
“Be aware of it,” she advised. “Levels are higher than typical this time of year. When you breathe, it can become trapped into your lungs. That’s why it’s so important that people that have lung or breathing issues really be aware.”
