Summer sports leagues and other events canceled due to air quality concerns

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Organizers with the Farmers’ Market on Broadway said this is something they haven’t had to navigate before - they’ve dealt with heat and rain, but not with destructive air quality issues.

They are encouraging those planning to attend the market to listen to their body and take breaks. And according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), that is good advice, particularly in a fluid situation that can change from hour to hour.

Still, the DNR issued a multi-day advisory due to bad air wafting from wildfires that continue to burn in Canada. Already, records for annual wildfire smoke emissions have been broken, creating poor and unhealthy air quality in many parts of North America, including NE Wisconsin.

“Ranging from the unhealthy for sensitive groups level up to the very unhealthy,” said Craig Czarnecki, Outreach Coordinator, DNR Air Management Program.

On June 28, 2023, the most unhealthy areas are along the Lake Michigan western shoreline, according to the DNR.

“Milwaukee is currently experiencing some of the highest levels of pollution not just in the U.S., but across the globe,” Czarnecki added.

With most of Wisconsin experiencing unhealthy air quality, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) encouraged residents to keep outdoor activities light and short.

“If you do have a respiratory or health condition that puts you at greater risk and needs to spend time outside, a well-fitting n95 mask may be helpful, but generally we recommend for the duration of this air quality saying indoors is probably the best thing to do,” noted Mike Werner, Wisconsin DHS.

The advisory will be adjusted depending on weather patterns and the amount of pollutants in the air.

According to several news reports, the bad air has even crossed the Atlantic Ocean and is beginning to impact the air in Western European countries like Portugal and France.

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