Springfield, Ill. – Air quality across northern Illinois is deteriorating today as wildfire smoke drifts south, posing health concerns for sensitive groups in cities like Galesburg, Rockford, and the northern suburbs of Chicago.
According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the smoke is pushing surface-level pollutant levels into the “orange” category—meaning air is unhealthy for individuals with heart or respiratory issues, older adults, and young children. The National Weather Service in Lincoln warns these conditions could continue into Friday, though forecast timing remains uncertain.
Counties including Knox, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, and Lake are under degraded air quality conditions. Residents are urged to limit outdoor activities, especially prolonged exertion. Schools and daycares should consider moving recess and outdoor events indoors. People with asthma or COPD should monitor for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath and keep rescue inhalers close.
This marks one of the first prolonged smoke-related air quality alerts of the season for Illinois, a pattern that has become more frequent since the record wildfire activity in Canada last summer.
Updates will be issued if conditions worsen or shift southward.
