The smog from Canada’s mountains and rivers has blanketed many US states, exacerbating health risks, particularly in poor and minority communities.
The smoke has blanketed a large area from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and Kentucky. On June 28, Detroit, a predominantly black city with the worst atmosphere in the United States, has a poverty rate of about 30 percent. “Everyone should stay indoors,” the National Injury Service warned.
Darren Riley, a black Detroit resident who was diagnosed with no asthma in 2018, said, “The more you whir, the more mountain smoke you breathe into your lungs.” Riley said that many communities faced this situation, the mountain smoke made many people feel burdened.
Detroit’s southwest area, home to sprawling oil refineries and manufacturing plants, is one of the poorest parts of the city. According to the American Lung Association’s 2022 report, local particulate matter purification is among the worst in the country. Dr. Ruma Srivastava, a doctor at Detroit Children’s Hospital, said smoke increases the risk of asthma.