(WJW) – If you feel like you’re living in a haze, it’s because you are…

Massive wildfires in Canada continue to infiltrate the United States. The EPA warns that the air quality in large parts of Ohio is unhealthy. As of Wednesday, more than 50 percent of the U.S., everything east of Columbus, is experiencing unhealthy air quality levels.

There are dozens of wildfires decimating land across several Canadian provinces.

Those large clouds of smoke and harmful pollutants are flowing south which has severely impacted air quality across large parts of the Northeast and Midwest.

This is the first day that air quality levels have spiked into the red in our area, prompting a warning from doctors for the very young, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory issues. 

You can view an interactive map of air quality across the U.S., here.

Dr. Loren Wold, Associate Dean of Research Operations and Compliance at The Ohio State University College of Medicine says, “People, if they were to be outside, especially if they’re exercising, breathing faster, they’re going to be inhaling particulates at concentrations that normal smokers would inhale.”

Even the healthiest among us could have difficulty breathing or experience a scratchy throat, especially in the heat of the day.

Dr. Brian Christman, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University advises, “I wouldn’t spend a lot of time outside. I would try to set your air conditioning on recirculate so that you’re not breathing in as much of the outdoor air and if you have good level filters on your air conditioner, make sure that they’re in place and that you’re using them.” 

Smoke conditions are expected to ease through Wednesday.

The most at-risk might consider wearing a high-quality mask.