Canadian wildfires produce hazardous smoke across the northern U.S. as severe storms prepare to clear the air this weekend.

Wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota has created hazardous air quality across much of the northern U.S. and Northeast. The smoke, which has plagued the region all week, is expected to begin clearing on Saturday as a warm front and subsequent severe storms move into the eastern U.S. The administration announced that the smoke is a result of "willful negligence" by Canada, with President Trump threatening to impose new tariffs on Ottawa to account for the billions of dollars in pollution costs. While major cities like Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia have seen "very unhealthy" conditions, heavy rain is expected to provide relief. In Philadelphia, the air quality prompted a ground delay program at the airport and the closure of local pools and spraygrounds. Meanwhile, in the Midwest, air quality remains volatile as firefighters battle over 600 acres of fire in Minnesota. Experts recommend that residents, particularly children and the elderly, wear N-95 masks to mitigate the impact of the lingering particulates.

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