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Wildfire smoke from Minnesota, Canada to blanket Wisconsin this week
Madeline Heim
Wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada will blanket Wisconsin this week, with air quality potentially reaching "very unhealthy" levels, particularly in the northern part of the state.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued an advisory July 14 saying the smoke is expected to enter northern Wisconsin on Tuesday evening and continue pushing south through July 16, at which point it could be covering the entire state.
The smoke is traveling from fires in Ontario and in northern Minnesota, where the U.S. Forest Service has closed the popular Boundary Waters Canoe Area and is evacuating campers. The northern Minnesota fires are closer than the Canadian ones that have sent smoke down in years past, which means Wisconsin will experience the brunt of the impact, said Craig Czarnecki, outreach coordinator for the DNR's Air Management program.
"It's a pretty serious event that we're probably going to see here," Czarnecki said.
The smoke advisory is set to end in Wisconsin on July 16 at noon but "will likely be extended for at least some portion of the state" beyond that time, according to the DNR. How long and where exactly that smoke lingers is yet to be determined.
It comes alongside another heat wave in which "feels like" temperatures could surpass 100 degrees across huge swaths of the state. A map of sites where people can cool off in Milwaukee can be found on the city's website at city.milwaukee.gov/Health/Cooling-Sites.
The heat, wind and dry weather have allowed the fires burning in northern Minnesota to expand rapidly, scorching thousands of acres and releasing a lot of smoke, Czarnecki said.
The primary air pollutant that wildfire smoke carries is fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which is linked to lung and heart problems. Across the state, levels could range from "unhealthy for sensitive groups" to "very unhealthy" this week.
When the air quality index is at very unhealthy levels, everyone should limit outdoor physical activity and people with heart or lung issues should avoid all physical activity outdoors. A properly fitting N95 mask can reduce PM2.5 inhalation.
If you're healthy but start to cough or experience shortness of breath, it's time to move indoors, Czarnecki said.
In Canada, wildfires haven't been as widespread or intense this year, Czarnecki said. Whether Wisconsin sees smoke also depends on the weather. Descending air from a high-pressure system can push smoke closer to the ground, he said, which is when the state sees more significant smoke impacts.
This story has been updated to include new information.
Madeline Heim covers health and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@usatodayco.com.
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Wauwatosa business calls for lawmakers to save hemp
Gina Lee Castro
A heat wave didn't stop hemp supporters from rallying to save the industry in Wisconsin June 29. Erin Kelly, the owner of Kelly's Greens Cannabis Boutique and Cafe in Wauwatosa, hosted a "Save Hemp Rally" to raise awareness of the incoming hemp ban and pressure state lawmakers to take action.
"We're all here to ask for a state plan from the state of Wisconsin," Kelly told the crowd, which spent the evening enduring a heat index around 100. "We need to protect not only 3,500 jobs but a $700 million industry [in Wisconsin]."
Late last year, President Donald Trump signed a strict set of federal hemp regulations into law – effectively banning most hemp products sold throughout Wisconsin and the U.S. Hemp gummies, vapes and flower products – no matter the type of THC – will be limited to 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. This law goes into effect in November.
Both Republican and Democrat state lawmakers proposed bills that would keep hemp legal in Wisconsin, but none made it over the hill. Lawmakers couldn't agree on how to regulate the largely unregulated industry before the legislative session closed. State law doesn't have age restriction for hemp, set packaging requirements or require product testing.
Kelly says her cafe – along with other Wisconsin hemp businesses – will have to shut their doors in November. But Kelly hasn't given up hope.
She said lawmakers told her they’re deep in campaign season and can't pass hemp laws until January 2027. She invited Milwaukee and Milwaukee County officials, gubernatorial candidates and others running for office to the rally to develop a plan to be ready by then.
Rep. Robyn Vining, D-Wauwatosa, one of the speakers, says chief of her concerns are protecting children. She says children shouldn't be able to purchase hemp products and products shouldn't look identical to candy – an issue she's heard from the Wisconsin Poison Center. However, some hemp businesses like Kelly's Greens require customers be 21 years or older to purchase.
"Let's legalize, let's regulate and let's protect Wisconsin kids," Vining said.
Supporters say hemp is medicinal, an alternative to alcohol
If hemp becomes illegal, Andy Boinski, 35, will lose his job as a hemp sales representative. Kaytlin Lovely, 29, his partner, will lose her medicine. They hope events like this rally will challenge the stereotypes around hemp.
"People aren't using this just to get high and sit on the couch," Boinski said. "People are using these for health reasons like anxiety, pain relief and chronic illnesses."
Lovely says hemp gummies give her relief from the nausea and vomiting that comes with her Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Her prescribed medications aren't as effective as hemp, she said.
Jake Noggle, 34, and Miranda Zielinski, 31, say Kelly's Greens hemp business brought life to a long-vacant building on West North Avenue in Wauwatosa and partnered with local businesses like Venture Brew Co.
The couple isn't a fan of drinking alcohol. Noggle says Wisconsin could stand to drink less.
"Alcohol is substantially more dangerous in overconsumption here," Noggle said. "It's nice to see an alternative."
THC seltzers, on the other hand, is one way they can still enjoy the bar scene. These drinks give them a buzz without that hangover.
"In our 30s, hangovers are not good anymore," Zielinski said. "They're like a two-day thing now."
Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be reached at GCastro@usatodayco.com.
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