By — Stephanie Sy Stephanie Sy By — Andrew Merlis Andrew Merlis By — Ryan Connelly Holmes Ryan Connelly Holmes By — Bridget Craig Bridget Craig Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-health-risks-of-wildfire-smoke-across-the-midwest-and-mid-atlantic Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio More than 115 million people may be exposed to dangerous smoke and unhealthy air quality levels. That's because wildfire smoke is spreading and triggering health advisories in at least 17 states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. It's led to flight delays, the closure of pools and beaches, and the cancellation of many other outdoor activities. Stephanie Sy reports. Listen to this Segment Watch Watch the Full Episode PBS NewsHour from Jul 16, 2026 By — Stephanie Sy Stephanie Sy Stephanie Sy is a PBS News Hour correspondent. Throughout her career, she served in anchor and correspondent capacities for ABC News, Al Jazeera America, CBSN, CNN International, and PBS News Hour Weekend. Prior to joining News Hour, she was with Yahoo News where she anchored coverage of the 2018 Midterm Elections and reported from Donald Trump’s victory party on Election Day 2016. By — Andrew Merlis Andrew Merlis By — Ryan Connelly Holmes Ryan Connelly Holmes By — Bridget Craig Bridget Craig