Wildfire smoke arrives again in Rochester: Wildfire map and air quality in your area

Rochester woke up to foggy conditions the morning of May 16, but it wasn’t just a ground-bound cloud settling over the metro area.

There was also light smoke from a rash of wildfires throughout Canada and the northern United States, pushing the air quality into the yellow moderate category, if just barely. At 7 a.m. on May 16, Rochester recorded an AQI of 53 — at which point unusually sensitive people should reduce their outdoor activity.

The thickest density smoke was found over larger fires in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Some moderate density smoke, likely concealed by cloud cover, was found in the north-central U.S. and the Great Lakes region in areas like Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis.

You can track the latest wildfires and red flag warnings in the United States using a new dynamic map and informational page created by USA TODAY. In addition to the map, there is a list of reported wildfires, smoke description and access to other useful links.

Wildfire smoke map

More: Mapping smoke from Canada: As wildfires burn, check the air quality in your area

How toxic wildfire smoke affects your health

Breathing the toxic smoke can cause a series of problems, from minor irritations to serious concerns, including cardiovascular- and respiratory-related problems.

According to Yale Medicine, the PM 2.5 particles are so small they can pass the usual defense mechanisms of the upper airway and penetrate deep into the lungs where they can impair function. The particles can also pass into the bloodstream and travel to other organs. Exposure has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and a decline in cognitive function.

More: How bad is breathing in wildfire smoke? Graphics show how toxic air affects your health

6 tips to avoid wildfire smoke and protect yourself from smoke particles

— Karina Zaiets, Ramon Padilla, Cecilia Garzella and Yoonserk Pyun contributed to this report. 

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Wildfire smoke map and information for Rochester NY area