EAST LANSING, Mich. — Smoke drifting hundreds of miles from wildfires has blanketed Michigan State University's campus, pushing air quality to hazardous levels and forcing students to rethink how they spend time outdoors.
Students attending summer sessions at MSU said Wednesday they noticed the effects almost immediately.
Ryan Shadbolt, a weather and climate specialist at MSU, said the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Michigan has reached levels not seen in years — and called the situation "unprecedented".
"It's getting to the point where it is hazardous for exposure for anybody of any age, of any physical health," Shadbolt said. "So if we are outside at all, we need to take mitigation precautions, things like masking and just minimizing the time out there."
Students said they hope the smoke clears quickly, but acknowledged there is little they can do in the meantime.
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