Updates are for Hazardous levels statewide and additional health actions
individuals should take.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has issued
an Air Quality Alert for July 16 and July 17, 2026, for elevated levels of fine particulate
due to wildfire smoke. Concentrations will be in the Hazardous range.

This is a Statewide Air Quality Alert

Plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to drift across the region. Elevated
fine particulate due to the smoke will continue through Friday.

Everyone should seek cleaner air indoors and keep activity levels low. While indoors,
take action to improve the indoor air quality such as:
- closing windows and minimize opening of doors
- if HVAC systems are not equipped with MERV-13 filters or higher,
use portable air cleaners
- avoid activities that make indoor air quality worse: burning
candles, using vacuums without a HEPA filter, using gas stoves more
than necessary, smoking, spraying aerosol products.

If you must be outdoors for short periods of time:
- Wear an N95 or P100 respirator marked with NIOSH. The respirator
should fit tightly, collapse as you breathe in and not let air in
from the sides. Instructions for fitting a respirator mask properly
can be found at:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-11/documents/respiratory_protection-
no-niosh-5081.pdf
- Do not use masks for children under age 2.

For up-to-date air quality data for Michigan visit the MiAir site:
Michigan.gov/MiAir

For up-to-date air quality data nationally visit EPAs Air Now site:
AirNow.gov

For further health information, please see MDHHS Wildfire Smoke and Your Health
site:
https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-health/your-health-
and-wildfire-smoke

Air Quality Alert
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
July 16, 2026