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Canada wildfire smoke brings unhealthy air quality to over a dozen states in Midwest, Northeast: Latest

Wildfire smoke from Canada shrouds the sun as it rises behind the Chrysler Building in New York City, July 17, 2026. (Gary Hershorn/ABC News)

(NEW YORK) — Philadelphia issued a “Code Purple Air Quality Emergency Day” on Friday as smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires seeps down to more than a dozen states in the Midwest and the Northeast.

“Everyone may experience negative health effects from particulate matter in the air,” Philadelphia officials warned. “Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.”

Canada has nearly 900 wildfires burning, with over 100 categorized as out of control. Almost 200 of the fires are in Ontario.

Heavy rain moving over the Minnesota/Canada border Friday morning should help with some fires, but the storms could also bring strong winds and lightning, which can spark new fires and create more erratic fire activity.

Passing showers and thunderstorms are also possible in Ontario Friday, but that rain won’t be enough to put the wildfires out, and the winds may make conditions worse and lightning could spark new wildfires. There are more chances for rain over Ontario Sunday through Tuesday.

The smoke from Canada has moved south and is at dangerous levels Friday from Duluth, Minnesota, to Richmond, Virginia, impacting states including Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

By Friday afternoon, the worst air quality is expected from Detroit to Cleveland to Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.

Saturday morning will bring a welcome reprieve from smoke in Detroit and Chicago, but heavy smoke will continue from Buffalo, New York, to Boston, to Washington, D.C.

By Saturday evening, the smoke will be over New England and returning to the Great Lakes.

Smoke is probable over New York City on Sunday when Spain plays Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, though it is still too early to know exactly where the smoke will be. Sources familiar with the situation told ABC News that “all involved authorities are monitoring.”

Smoke contains fine particles that can travel deep into the lungs. For those who need to work outdoors, are more sensitive to smoke or are in a high-risk group, Kai Chen, an associate professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health, told ABC News that the best type of mask to wear is an N95, which is designed to filter at least 95% of airborne particles.

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said free KN95 masks are available at hundreds of locations.

Click here to read more on how to stay safe.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bookstore owner takes literacy mission on the road with ‘Black Star Line’ Summer Tour

Click here for updates on this story    BALTIMORE (WMAR) -- A Baltimore bookstore owner is taking her mission to inspire young readers directly into neighborhoods across the city with a bus full of free books.The Black Star Line Literacy Bus, created by Tia Hamilton, is making stops throughout Baltimore this summer with one goal: put books into the hands of children and help close the city's literacy gap."It's free," Hamilton said. "And just to be able to say that means everything."Hamilton says too many neighborhoods are what she calls "book deserts," where families have limited access to books and literacy resources."There are children who aren't getting the necessary literacy tools that's needed," she said. "It's time to get to the literacy. It's time to educate."Wrapped in vibrant Pan-African colors, the Black Star Line bus is impossible to miss. Inspired by Marcus Garvey's historic Black Star Line ship, the mobile library also features images of influential Black leaders, including Malcolm X.As a person who was formerly incarcerated, she draws inspiration from the civil rights leader because a pivotal part of his story included turning his life around from behind bars.Hamilton says education transformed her own life, and now she's determined to help children avoid the barriers she once faced."If 54% of America's adults can't read above the sixth-grade reading level, that's why I exist," Hamilton said. "That's why my mission exists. That's why my foundation exists."At every stop, children are encouraged to choose books to take home and build their own personal libraries. Hamilton hopes those books become the foundation for lifelong learning."If children are reading 20 minutes a day, they will expose themselves to 1.8 million words a year," she said.Hamilton believes investing in literacy today can help prevent much bigger problems tomorrow."It takes $54,000 for one child to take care of them inside a prison," she said. "So instead of investing in that, invest in this cause and invest in me and let me go out here and do the work to make our children literate."The work isn't easy. Hamilton loads, unloads and distributes hundreds of books herself at each stop, bringing plenty of enthusiasm along the way."I don't know," she laughed. "I wake up like this."Still, she says community support is essential to keeping the bus rolling."Donate your time and donate gently used books," Hamilton said. "This is why I'm asking for books and donations because it's not about me. It's about our children, our youth, our legacy."Hamilton's goal is to give away 100 books at every stop this summer, totaling 5,000 books across Baltimore. She also hopes to expand the program next summer by adding two more literacy buses to reach even more communities."They are going to change the world," Hamilton said. "We give them an opportunity."People interested in donating books, volunteering or supporting the Black Star Line Literacy Bus can find more information through Hamilton's organization here. Hamilton has also launched a "Bookmark It" program to help families, kids and adults, where you can join a reading club and get a discount on books.Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
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