Chicago's air quality currently worst in world

CHICAGO (CBS)-- Smoke pouring down from Canadian wildfires has created air quality so bad, that Chicago's is currently the worst on Earth.  

Shortly before noon, the poor quality of air in the area was raised to "very unhealthy." 

According to airnow.gov, people should take the following precautions. 

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens: Avoid physical activities outdoors.

Everyone else: Avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short, and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

"It's really the people that have any sort of airway disease that we have to be concerned about, any airway disease, but particularly the inflammatory ones like asthma, COPD. Those are the people that are most affected by what's going on right now," Dr. Nimmi Rajagopal with the Cook County Health Department said.   

The World Air Quality Index reported, Chicago has the worst air quality. That group marked Chicago's air "unhealthy," and in the red zone.

According to CBS 2 meteorologists, the Canadian wildfire smoke is coming in from northerly winds, causing low air quality.   

Minneapolis and Detroit also ranked in the top 10 as of 11:30 a.m. (Eastern time) 

Chicagoans are also advised to wear masks to protect from air pollution, run air purifiers, and close windows. Evanston officials closed its beaches on Tuesday because of the poor air. 

"This summer, cities across North America have seen unhealthy levels of air quality as a result of wildfire smoke, impacting over 20 million people from New York City, Washington DC, Montreal, and today here in Chicago," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. 

"As we work to respond to the immediate health concerns in our communities, this concerning episode demonstrates and underscores the harmful impact that the climate crisis is having on our residents, as well as people all over the world."  

Weather models suggest air quality should improve by 10 p.m. Tuesday.  

On Monday, a Canadian agency added at least 27 new wildland fires to their list. 

There are more than 18 million acres affected this year. 

In Montreal, experts have pushed their air quality rating into the "high-risk category," warning residents to take precautions.

Albert Ramon

Albert Ramon is the chief meteorologist for CBS2 Chicago. Albert joined CBS2's First Alert Weather Team in October 2021.

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