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Plumes of smoke are released into the sky from a chemical plant chimney

Air Pollution Meets True Crime with THREE Serial Killers

In Caroline Fraser’s new book Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers (Penguin Press), a chilling but overlooked factor emerges from the shadows of true crime history: environmental toxins. 1 Fraser reveals that three of history’s most...

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ONGOING AIR QUALITY ALERT: Canadian Wildfires

Updated: Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM (EST) Canadian wildfire smoke continues to impact air quality across the United States, with significant effects observed in the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)...

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Air Quality Alert in the Midwest and Canadian Prairies

Updated: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 2 PM (EST) Smoke from extensive wildfires in Canada—especially in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta—continues to drift southward, combining with regional fires in Minnesota, creating dangerous air quality conditions across parts of the Upper Midwest...

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Air Quality Alert in Midwest Due to Canadian Wildfires

Smoke from over 160 out-of-control wildfires in Canada is drifting into the Upper Midwest, triggering air quality alerts across Michigan and surrounding states. Residents are urged to limit outdoor activity and take precautions to protect their health. As of Friday,...

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Wildfire Particulate Matter: Chilling News Plus Safety Tips

During the summer of 2023, the northeastern United States, particularly the densely populated New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, experienced a significant environmental event: the arrival of wildfire particulate matter (WFPM) from extensive Canadian forest fires. A recent study published in...

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Clean Up After a Wildfire: A Guide for Homes Near Burn Zones

The California wildfires have left many residents returning to homes that, while not destroyed, are impacted by smoke, soot, and ash. This is also an unfortunate experience that people in other regions may experience as wildfires become more common in...

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Wildfires Threaten More than ⅓ of Population and Buildings

The scope of wildfire risk across the United States has become alarmingly clear and it’s much greater than previously recognized. A new analysis, released by the team at Wildfire Risk to Communities (wildfire risk.org), states that over one-third of the...

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Ozone Generators and Other Air Quality Destroyers

In the quest for cleaner indoor air, many homeowners turn to air cleaners to rid their homes of pollutants and allergens. At Austin Air, we often explain that not all air cleaners are created equal. For example, the Environmental Protection...

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Suburban area with wildfire smoke approaching

Surviving a Wildfire: 4 Essential Facts

As wildfires continue to burn for longer and in more places, the threat of negative health impacts from wildfire smoke is becoming increasingly intense. The devastation caused by wildfires stretches far beyond the immediate area in flames. Smoke carries a...

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