Smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Minnesota has been lingering in Michigan skies. 

Some of it started on July 7, when lightning struck the woods of northern Minnesota. Those fires burned so hard the Forest Service shut the Boundary Waters completely. And the fires went both directions. One crossed into Canada, another crossed out of it, into Minnesota.

Meanwhile, four Republicans in Michigan’s delegation wrote to Canada’s prime minister last week, demanding Canada manage its forests better. They say they are done “accepting apologies in place of action.” This comes as the U.S. Forest Service, the agency that manages federal forests and firefighting on this side of the border, faces significant budget cuts under the Trump administration’s latest proposals.

Bobbie Scopa fought fire for 45 years. She started as a seasonal firefighter in 1974 and finished as an operations section chief: the person on a major fire who decides where the crews go, and where nobody goes at all. She’s the author of “Both Sides of the Fire Line,” and she hosts the podcast Bobbie on Fire. 

She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to explain why these fires are harder to stop than they used to be, and why she thinks Americans are asking the wrong question about them.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

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The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced a statewide Air Quality Alert for Wednesday, July 15. 

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to spread across the state. This will likely cause higher levels of air pollution which can be harmful to health.

EGLE stated that thick smoke from wildfires north of Minnesota will start reaching the Upper Peninsula overnight and then spread south across the Lower Peninsula during the day and into the evening Wednesday.

Dr. Youcheng Liu, who is with Wayne State University, said people should check the Air Quality Index (AQI) before going outside.

“Even moderate levels are a concern. But if the AQI goes above 100, it’s considered heavy pollution, which everyone should pay attention to.”

Health officials recommend that residents, especially children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with asthma, COPD, heart disease, or other breathing problems, should avoid strenuous outdoor activities while the alert is in effect.

Liu explained that the main worry is the presence of PM2.5, tiny particles from wildfire smoke that can penetrate deep into the lungs and increase the chances of lung and heart problems.

To stay safe, Liu suggests limiting outdoor time, avoiding intense exercise outside, keeping windows and doors closed, using indoor air circulation instead of bringing in outdoor air, and running air purifiers if you have them. 

He says those who need to spend time outside should consider wearing a mask rated N95 or higher for better protection.

Michigan residents can check local air conditions on the EGLE MiAir Quality Index Dashboard, AirNow, weather apps that show AQI numbers, or by signing up for Michigan’s EnviroFlash alert system.