DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – The air quality in Detroit is third worst in the world on Thursday, according to data from IQAir — outshined only by Chicago and Washington, D.C. Two cities in the Detroit area are handing out free masks to help residents breathe easier as smoke from Canadian wildfires clouds the air.

Residents of Clarkston can get free N95 masks from City Hall. Northville Township residents can get masks at the local Police Department (41600 Six Mile Road) and Township Hall (44405 Six Mile Road).

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“We are continually being impressed by the PM-2.5 values we are seeing at the monitors across the state this morning and overnight,” wrote the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in its forecast. “A dense plume of smoke came down from these fires overnight and almost all of southern Michigan is dealing with the smoke with PM-2.5 values in the Unhealthy and Very Unhealthy range.”

PM-2.5 is a broad category of inhalable particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), these particles are small enough to enter the deepest parts of the lungs and the bloodstream. Studies have linked PM-2.5 particles with various health conditions such as worsening asthma or COPD, lung cancer, and irregular heartbeat.

Currently, according to IQAir, the PM-2.5 concentration in Detroit is nearly 13 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. The air quality monitoring company recommends wearing a mask outdoors, operating an air purifier, and avoiding outdoor exercise until air quality values improve.