Northern Minnesota Has The Worst Air Quality On Earth Today

I lived here my entire life, and I've never experienced wildfire smoke this bad. I thought last year was the worst, but today it's just something else.

At 9 AM on July 16, 2026, the Air Quality Index is over 900. That's triple the threshold for hazardous conditions (which is 300). Everybody is encouraged to stay indoors and not breathe this toxic smoke.

Air Quality Index Is The Worst In The World In Northern Minnesota July 16th 9 AM

The air quality fluctuates with wind and smoke, but it's clearly the highest in Northern Minnesota and along Lake Superior. Parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northwest Wisconsin have reached an AQI of 600 or more. In some cases, falling ash has been reported. That feels somewhat apocalyptic.

Many businesses and organizations have had to cancel outdoor activities or move them inside. When the AQI gets over 100, it's unhealthy for sensitive groups. That includes people with heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.

What Is AQI?

AQI stands for Air Quality Index. It measures the ozone and particulate matter in the air. Anything over 151 AQI is unhealthy. Anything over 201 is very unhealthy. While I'm writing this story, Virginia's AQI jumped up to over 1400, which is 4 times the hazardous threshold.

EPA.GOV

It's Like Smoking Three Packs Of Cigarettes If You've Been Exposed For 48 Hours

There's an online calculator that lets you compare what breathing this air is like to smoking cigarettes. I put in the AQI of 900 for a 48-hour period of time. If you've been exposed to this hazardous level, it's roughly equivalent to smoking 66 cigarettes. That's more than 3 packs of smokes.

Read More: Northland Smoke-Related Cancellations, Closures, And Announcements

Stay Indoors, or Mask Up With N95

You're urged to stay indoors. Bring your pets inside. Close your windows, and if you have an air exchanger, turn it off. You don't want to be pulling this air inside your home. Running an air conditioner is fine.

If you do have to go out,  a tight-fitting N95 mask can provide protection. Cloth or surgical masks don't offer much protection. If you have a respirator around, check your filters.