People play basketball as wildfire smoke from Canada causes hazy conditions on July 16, 2026 in New York. Out-of-control wildfires were raging Thursday in the Canadian province of Ontario, prompting evacuations and sending dangerous smoke billowing into the United States where millions of people were exposed to the unhealthy air. US states near the Canadian border including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois were particularly choked, as forecasters predicted the Northeast including New York would also see air quality continue to deteriorate. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images)