(WNDU) – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has updated its Air Quality Action Day for Thursday, July 16, and issued a new one for Friday, July 17, across the Michiana area as wildfire smoke continues to affect the region.
IDEM officials said fine particulate matter levels for Thursday, July 16, are expected to be in the “Very Unhealthy,” or “Purple,” range. Ozone levels for Thursday are expected to be in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” or “Orange,” range.
Affected communities
The alert covers Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, LaGrange, LaPorte, Michigan City, Plymouth, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and surrounding areas.
Communities along and north of the U.S. 20 Bypass in Indiana and into southwest Michigan are expected to experience the worst impacts.
Friday alert
IDEM has also issued an Air Quality Action Day for Friday, July 17, with particulate matter levels expected to be in the “Unhealthy,” or “Red,” range in the same areas.
Michigan alerts
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has issued a statewide air quality alert for Thursday, July 16, through Friday, July 17, 2026, also due to elevated levels of fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke…