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Wisconsin wildfire smoke, people adjusting their outdoor plans
The wildfire smoke is drifting into parts of southeast Wisconsin. FOX6's Sam Kraemer talked with people in Sheboygan about how they're handling it.
SHEBOYBAN, Wis. - Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada and Minnesota has settled in above most of Wisconsin Wednesday night.
Smoke from wildfires
What we know:
The smoke and the harmful particles it carries triggered the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to issue an air quality advisory until noon Thursday.
While our FOX6 crew hung out in Sheboygan on Wednesday afternoon and evening, more and more smoke moved in.
A group of 12 friends from Michigan sought refuge inside a bar from the heat at first.
Brandon Moss, who's on the annual bikepacking trip, said Tuesday had been the tough day after they cycled around 55 miles.
"This is our pit stop, yeah," Moss said, stepping outside of a bar. "Today (Wednesday) is the easier day, but it's just turned not so easy."
Seven miles shy of their campground, the friends contemplated life choices and game-planned how to proceed now that smoke moved in.
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"It's making us question our next steps. We're definitely gonna get back to Michigan, but this complicates some things for sure," Moss said.
Sheboygan rated 'unhealthy'
What we know:
Sheboygan rated 'unhealthy' on the air quality index for parts of the day. To check out the air quality in your area, the Wisconsin DNR maintains an air quality map.
Closer to the lake, Amy Peterson said she noticed the change.
"After school, we finished summer school — couldn't go outside. But I am doing respite care and know the kids needed to go out and move and breathe, but it's difficult," Peterson said.
Peterson patrolled the playground at King Park watching kids in her care. She lives with asthma and used her nebulizer before coming here.
"If he can tolerate it for a while, I can tolerate it for a while," Peterson said.
But the air quality in some parts of the state is labeled hazardous — the worst on the air quality index (AQI).
Craig Czarnecki is the Wisconsin DNR's Air Management Program Outreach Coordinator. He said the air quality associated with these wildfires is among the worst he's seen in his nearly seven years with the DNR.
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"I think it's because the close proximity to northwest Wisconsin to those fires. That smoke is just more concentrated. It doesn't have enough time to get up into the atmosphere and mix with the air as much," Czarnecki said.
Czarnecki also pointed out Lake Michigan isn't helping to disperse that smoke.
"A little lake effect keeps those concentrations pretty close to those shoreline communities up there," Craig Czarnecki said.
The DNR's air quality advisory is supposed to expire at noon Thursday, but officials will meet in the morning to decide whether to extend it. Czarnecki said it's likely the advisory will be extended for some parts of the state.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Sam Kraemer and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Brandon Moss, Amy Peterson, Craig Czarnecki and the Wisconsin DNR.