Breathing Wildfire Smoke Equal To Smoking 9 Cigarettes In MI: Doctor

Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires continued pouring into Michigan on Friday, creating dangerous conditions across the state.

The smoky skies aren't just an annoyance—they're a real danger, and breathing in the air is the equivalent of smoking multiple cigarettes, Dr. Jonathan M. Tan, division chief of General Anesthesiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told AccuWeather.

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That's because of PM2.5, tiny particles that are also found in cigarette smoke and can travel deep into the lungs.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Detroit area was over 300, placing it the "dangerous" level, according to AccuWeather.

"Scientists have found that an air quality reading of about 20 on the AQI scale is roughly like smoking one cigarette a day," Tan said. "So when the AQI climbs into the 150+ range for a full day outside, that’s in the ballpark of 7 to 9 cigarettes."

Detroit again on Friday led all major cities across the world with the worst air quality, according to air quality tracker IQAir, which gave the city a 438 air quality index, placing the region well into the "hazardous" category.

The AQI is expected to improve slightly on Saturday, but could still be in the "very unhealthy" range for most of the day, according to forecasters.

Multiple shows and events across the Detroit area, including the John Mellencamp show at Pine Knob, were canceled Friday due to the hazardous air.

The Greenfield Village, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and CJ Barrymore's closed all outdoor activities Friday.

An air quality alert was active across Michigan through Friday.

How To Stay Safe

The IEPA gave the following tips to stay safe during hazardous air quality:

• Stay indoors and monitor your breathing, especially if you have heart or lung disease, and keep windows and doors closed.
• If your air conditioner has a fresh air intake, set your system to recirculate or close the intake.
• Use high-efficiency filters in air conditioning systems and portable air cleaners.
• Avoid activities that create more particulate matter indoors, like smoking or burning candles.
• If you cannot avoid working or other outdoor activities, then choose shorter or less intense activities, consider rescheduling if possible, and take more frequent breaks.
• Consider wearing a high-quality N-95 or N-100 mask to filter damaging particles while outdoors.

Storms In Detroit-Area Forecast

Strong to severe storms are expected across the Detroit area Saturday morning, just shifting winds should begin pushing the wildfire smoke out of the state.

The storms could move into the area as early as 10 a.m., though the most likely window for the storms will be between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. when afternoon highs reach 90 degrees, according to NWS.

Forecasters warned the storms could produce strong winds reaching up to 60 miles per hour and heavy downpours.

All of southeastern Michigan was placed under a slight risk (level 2/5) for severe weather Saturday.

• Related — Detroit Area Sees World's Worst Air Quality Again, Severe Storms Return Saturday