Wildfire Smoke Air Quality Alert: Detroit 5th most polluted city in the world

Is the air quality good in Detroit?

On August 5, 2025, at 9:51 AM PT, Detroit, Michigan was the 5th most polluted major city in the world. Wildfire smoke from fires in northern Canada drifted across the Midwest and New England, bringing regional air quality into the "unhealthy for sensitive" range for Detroit and multiple cities.

For a more detailed look, see Detroit’s air quality map.

Detroit was the 5th most polluted city on Tuesday morning. New York City was listed as the 8th most polluted city in the world, while Chicago was ranked 10th.

 Detroit was listed as the 5th most polluted major city on the morning of August 5. Source: IQAir.

Why is there an air quality alert in Detroit?

There are numerous wildfires burning across northern Canada, particularly in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. For a closer look at wildfires in Canada, see the AirVisual air quality map.

 Hourly air quality forecast for Detroit, Michigan on August 5. Source: IQAir.

Air quality is forecasted to improve in the city on Wednesday.

Which cities are being affected by wildfire smoke?

Several cities in Michigan, Minnesota, New England, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are experiencing poor air quality, including:

• Albany, New York
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Buffalo, New York
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• Flint, Michigan
  
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Hartford, Connecticut
• Marquette, Michigan
  
• New Haven, Connecticut
• Portland, Maine
• Rochester, Minnesota
• Rochester, New York
• Syracuse, New York
• Traverse City, Michigan
• Wausau, Wisconsin
  
• Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Cities across Canada are also being impacted by poor air quality from wildfire smoke, including:

• Flin Flon, Manitoba
• Fredericton, New Brunswick
• London, Ontario
• Moncton, New Brunswick
• Montreal, Quebec
• Ottawa, Ontario
• Owen Sound, Ontario
• Toronto, Ontario
• Yorkton, Saskatchewan

Air quality map of the Great Lakes region on August 1. Source: IQAir.

Are there any alerts in place?

There is an air quality alert for Connecticut, Delaware, northern Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin as well as parts of Minnesota, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania according to the U.S. National Weather Service (1).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.