Alert issued exhorting people to watch out for “unusual fatigue”

On Thursday, a multitude of air quality alerts were issued through the upper Midwest, advising certain residents to consult a doctor if they have symptoms such as “unusual fatigue”.

Why it matters

Thursday, residents of Wisconsin had to face the potentially dangerous air quality due to a mass of forest smoke deriving from Canada. The levels of fine particles (PM2.5) reaching thresholds deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, state officials responded by issuing opinions for more than a dozen counties.

This decision highlighted the current public health risk posed by recurring forest events, which have become increasingly common in recent years, because large flames have persisted in the Canadian provinces. Vulnerable individuals – especially those with heart or respiratory conditions, older children and adults – have been warned that even a brief exposure can trigger symptoms or exacerbate underlying health problems.

What to know

The Wisconsin (DNR) Ministry of Natural Resources (DNR) published a notice of air quality at 6 am on Thursday, which has an impact on the counties of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Iron, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Vilas and Washburn.

According to state officials, the air quality index (AQI) for PM2.5 – Tinne particles capable of penetrating deep into the lungs – was planned to reach the levels classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (USG) and, in certain regions, “unhealthy”.

The council came from dense smoke from the current Canadian forest fires, in particular from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which migrated south to the top of the midwest. The plume of smoke had to reach the Duluth / Superior area between 6 and 9 hours and gradually move to the southeast, extending the impacts throughout the day and possibly in the weekend.

As the weather conditions change, the alert area should be updated in response to surveillance and predictive models in real time.

The official alert has recommended that residents – especially those with pre -existing lung or heart disease, asthma, young children and older adults – take precautionary measures. These include limiting the intensity and duration of outdoor activities, interior travel activities if possible and remaining vigilant for any new or aggravating symptoms.

For all residents, staying inside and keeping the windows closed has remained a key precaution while smoke persists in the region.

Health managers have urged residents to watch for symptoms associated with poor air quality. The main symptoms to be monitored include:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Throat irritation
• Unusual fatigue
• Faintness
• Heart palpitations

Asthmatic people were advised to follow their action plans on asthma and keep the inhalers with quick relief easily available. People with heart disease have been invited to contact their health care providers if symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath or unexpected fatigue have developed. The opinion also encouraged all residents, including healthy individuals, to maintain more short and less intense outdoor activities and to be in the event of symptoms.

So far, there have been 11 air quality alerts this year, more than three times those published in 2024.

What people say

A Wisconsin DNR spokesperson said Nowsweek:: “Forest fires occur frequently in the United States and Canada throughout the summer months, we will therefore continue to monitor the impacts of potential smoke as long as there are active forest fires.”

Air quality alert emitted to Wisconsin: “People with heart disease: symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue can indicate a serious problem. If you have them, contact your health care provider.”

A Wisconsin DNR web page on fire smoke: “The larger and more frequent forest fires are a growing public health problem, as forest smoke from larger fires can travel and an impact on the air quality of the hundreds, even thousands of kilometers and cause a wide range of health impacts depending on the sensitivity of a person to pollutants and the quantity of pollutants in the air.”

What happens next

The opinion of air quality remained in force until Thursday with the possibility of extension or adjustment according to the updated smoke projections and AQI readings. As the southern winds should return during the weekend, state officials provided that smoke could be pushed further north, allowing air quality to gradually improve in the majority of the state. However, persistent smoke impacts may require opinions to remain in force for certain regions.

Update of 07/24/2025, 2:46 p.m. East time: this article has been updated with additional information.