Smoke has continued to cloud Illinois’ air for a second straight day, but the poor air quality isn’t because of a fire in the Chicago area — it’s actually not even from the U.S.
The smoke, which has sparked alerts across Illinois, traveled to the area from Canadian wildfires once again, but this round is coming from a different region than previous smoke.
Here’s what to know:
Where is the smoke coming from in Illinois?
According to officials, this round of wildfire smoke is coming from Manitoba.
There, a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for some and the Manitoba Wildfire Service said Tuesday it was responding to 127 active wildfires across the province. That number made for a total of 351 wildfires so far this year, well above the region’s average of 276 total fires for this date.
The area is under a “provincial state of emergency” until at least Aug. 8, with more than 1 million hectares of land burned so far.
Their 2025 wildfire season is currently “the worst on record in the last 30 years,” officials said.
Track the wildfire smoke live
From Canada to Illinois to other U.S. states, a live map will show you where wildfire smoke is currently.
Track here.
How long will it last?
The entire Chicago area will remain under an air quality alert until at least Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.
As for just how long the smoke could stick around, it’s impossible to tell, but there is more smoke billowing down from Canada, and as winds continue to blow out of the north, it will likely remain a concern into the weekend.
The smoke may not descend to the surface as much as it did on Thursday, but hazy skies could be expected at least through Saturday, if not further into the weekend, according to forecast models.
How bad is the air quality?
As of 5:30 a.m. Friday, the government air quality tracking website AirNow showed Chicago’s air quality in the “unhealthy” category, which ranks as level four of six on the Air Quality Index. Air quality was also ranking as “unhealthy” across multiple suburbs, though it was expected to improve into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category as the day goes on, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
According to the NWS, everyone is advised to limit time outdoors during times of “unhealthy” air quality, and older adults, young children and those with respiratory problems may be especially sensitive.
Friday morning, Chicago’s air quality showed a PM 2.5 of 157. Typically, anything above 100 is considered to be hazardous to at least some groups, and anything over 150 is considered to be “unhealthy,” posing issues to the general public. Photos and video from the lakefront showed a fuzzy and blurry sky.
The website IQAir ranked Chicago as having the “worst air quality in the world” Thursday.
Air quality was also ranking “unhealthy” across other parts of the Midwest, including in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“If you were wanting to sleep with the windows open to enjoy the cooler weather, we regret to say the smoke has different plans,” the National Weather Service out of Lincoln, Illinois said in a post to X.
If you were wanting to sleep with the windows open to enjoy the cooler weather, we regret to say the smoke has different plans. Smoke from Canadian wildfires will move into central and SE IL today. Air quality is forecast to be unhealthy through the overnight hours. #ILwx pic.twitter.com/2KCSobMlJ6
— NWS Lincoln IL (@NWSLincolnIL) July 31, 2025What is the Air Quality Index?
According to officials, the Air Quality Index, or the AQI, is used by the Environmental Protection Agency to communicate to the public air quality levels, and how they can impact day-to-day life.
There are six different levels of air quality, and they’re all color-coded to illustrate changes in quality and how they impact residents.
Typically, anything above 100 is considered to be hazardous to at least some groups, and anything over 150 is considered to be “unhealthy,” posing issues to the general public.
How to find the AQI near you
AirNow provides a tool for residents to search their ZIP code to see what their forecasted air quality is, both in real time and for the days ahead.
Air Quality Index map: Track the air quality near you
A real-time, interactive map of air quality from AirNow.gov can be found below:
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