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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 29 June 2023
Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in U.S.

From Front tionate amount of calls for
respiratory issues – 54.8%
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER and – have been for Black
COREY WILLIAMS people in Milwaukee, ac-
Associated Press cording to the newspaper.
DETROIT (AP) — Smoky air Milwaukee County's popu-
from Canada's wildfires lation is 27.1% Black.
shrouded broad swaths of In Chicago, where about
the U.S. from Minnesota to 29% of the population is
Pennsylvania and Kentucky Black, Mayor Brandon
on Wednesday, prompting Johnson urged young peo-
warnings to stay inside and ple, older adults and resi-
exacerbating health risks dents with health issues to
for people already suffer- spend more time indoors.
ing from industrial pollution. He pledged "swift action to
The impacts are particularly ensure that vulnerable indi-
hard on poor and minority viduals have the resources
communities that are more they need to protect them-
likely to live near polluting selves and their families."
plants and have higher Smoke fills the sky reducing visibility Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Detroit. Associated Press President Joe Biden could
rates of asthma. Detroit, see the impact Wednes-
a mostly Black city with a site showed Detroit in the ven Flisfeder said. troit. "It does increase their day during a visit to nation's
poverty rate of about 30%, "hazardous" range. Chi- In the U.S., the smoke is ex- risk for asthma flareups. For third-largest city, where he
had the worst air quality cago, Indianapolis, Cleve- acerbating air quality issues them, it's even more impor- was expected to promote
in the U.S. on Wednesday, land, Ohio; and Pittsburgh for poor and Black commu- tant to follow the (air qual- his renewable energy poli-
leading the Environmental all have "very unhealthy" nities that already are more ity safety) recommenda- cies during a major address
Protection Agency to warn air. A wider circle of un- likely to live near polluting tions." on the economy. Biden has
that "everyone should stay healthy air spread into St. plants, and in rental hous- Riley's own experiences described the Canadian
indoors." "The more breaths Louis and Louisville, Ken- ing with mold and other prompted him to start wildfires as clear evidence
you're taking, you're inhal- tucky. triggers. Detroit's southwest JustAir, which provides air of climate change.
ing, literally, a fire, camp Earlier this month, smoke side is home to a number pollution monitoring. Minnesota issued a record
smoke, into your lungs," from the wildfires blanketed of sprawling refineries and "Just because you're born 23rd air quality alert for the
said Darren Riley, who was the U.S. East Coast for days. manufacturing plants. It is in a certain ZIP code or year through late Wednes-
diagnosed with asthma in Another round of drifting one of the poorest parts you're born into a certain day night, as smoky skies
2018, a few years after ar- smoke from the wildfires of the city. According to a family with a certain skin obscured the skylines of
riving in Detroit. was moving through west- 2022 report by the Ameri- color doesn't mean that Minneapolis and St. Paul.
"Many communities face ern Pennsylvania and west- can Lung Association, the you should have an un- Michigan, Wisconsin and
this way too often," said Ri- ern New York and headed city's and short-term parti- equal go at it," he said. Indiana were among oth-
ley, who is Black. "And while toward the Mid-Atlantic, cle pollution ranked among Elsewhere, Milwaukee er states issuing air quality
this wildfire smoke allows, said National Weather the worst in the nation. County Emergency Medi- alerts, and cities including
unfortunately, many peo- Service meteorologist By- "Being close to those refin- cal Services has seen a Louisville also advised peo-
ple to feel this burden, this ran Jackson. In Canada, eries — that's an environ- spike in calls for residents ple to limit prolonged or in-
is a burden that far too long smoke will migrate across mental factor that's difficult with respiratory complaints, tense outdoor activity.
communities have faced Quebec and Ontario over to control," said Dr. Ruma the Milwaukee Journal Sen- "This is particularly thick
day in and day out." the next few days, Environ- Srivastava, a pediatric pul- tinel reported. Office of smoke," Jackson, with the
The Environmental Protec- ment and Climate Change monologist at Children's Emergency Management National Weather Service,
tion Agency's AirNow.gov Canada meteorologist Ste- Hospital of Michigan in De- data show a dispropor- said.q

Countdown to 250th anniversary begins in the U.S. with planners

hoping it can unify a divided country

at American Family Field in up in political fighting. Be- President John F. Kennedy,
Milwaukee. The organiza- fore the U.S. reaches its Robert Kennedy and Mar-
tion spearheading the cel- semiquincentennial — try tin Luther King Jr.
ebration, known as Amer- saying that out loud — it But Rosie Rios, the former
ica250, will start recruiting will have to survive the 2024 U.S. treasurer who heads
people to share their stories presidential election, which America250, has fond
of what the country means is shaping up to be as divi- memories of that celebra-
to them. sive as its prior two contests. tion as an 11-year-old in
The country is headed to- Times also were fraught in Northern California. She
ward the anniversary date the run-up to the country’s watched old-fashioned
as it remains riven politically, 1976 bicentennial celebra- sailing ships gather in Bos-
The U.S. Flag flies at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 6, 2023. its citizens divided over how tion, which came two years ton and New York harbors
Associated Press to view the Jan. 6, 2021, after Richard Nixon re- on her family’s black-and-
By NICHOLAS RICCARDI The anniversary push will assault on the U.S. Capi- signed his presidency over white television, and she
Associated Press formally launch July 4 with tol and whether President the Watergate scandal visited the national Free-
It’s three years until the an event during a Major Joe Biden was legitimately and convulsions over the dom Train exhibit when it
United States celebrates its League Baseball game be- elected. Even decisions on end of the Vietnam War. stopped in Oakland. And,
250th anniversary, but fes- tween the Milwaukee Brew- where to shop or what beer It followed a decade that of course, she remembers
tivities are already starting. ers and the Chicago Cubs to drink have been caught saw the assassinations of the fireworks. q