Canadian wildfire smoke descends on US, spreading from Great Lakes to New England
An ABC News graphic shows the forecast for Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — More than 830 wildfires were burning on Wednesday in Canada, along with more than a dozen in northern Minnesota, near the border, growing with little or no containment and forcing mandatory evacuations.
Some of the largest wildfires are burning in west-central Ontario, and those fires are burning through thick forests, releasing an incredible amount of smoke.
The wind is now directing that very heavy smoke into America, creating dangerous air quality for millions across the upper Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday and through the end of the week
Rain on Friday over the upper Midwest and on Saturday for the Northeast should help disperse smoke.
Very heavy smoke is over Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, on Wednesday morning, and extreme smoke is over northern Wisconsin.
Some heavy smoke will move over New York State and New England by mid-morning, potentially reaching New York City to Boston by 2 p.m. ET.
By sunset on Wednesday, very heavy smoke may reach from Buffalo to New York City and Philadelphia — streaming through Green Bay, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Toronto.
Conditions in New York City are not expected to be as intense as they were in June 2023.
Hazy skies are expected and air quality will likely become unhealthy.
Conditions could, however, be that bad — Mars-like and smelling like a campfire — and some of the worst air quality in the world, on Thursday from Duluth to Green Bay and Marquette through much of northern Michigan.
Cleveland, Columbus, Baltimore and D.C. will likely see heavy smoke on Thursday.
The smoke will be serious for millions and may reach a dangerous level for everyone — not just those with respiratory issues.
Air quality alerts are in place from Minnesota to New York City, including the entire states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
(WASHINGTON) — Robert Gilman, a U.S. citizen and former Marine, has been freed from years of detention in Russia on humanitarian grounds, a State Department spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
“Thanks to the hard work of President Trump and Special Envoy Witkoff, Mr. Gilman joins over 100 Americans whom the United States has freed during President Trump’s second term in office. This Administration will continue to work for the release of all Americans unjustly detained in Russia, including wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard,” the spokesperson said.
Gilman’s release came amid severe concerns about his health. According to the organization advocating on behalf of his family, Gilman is on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas, where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated. His family has flown to Texas, including his mother, who was in Russia attempting to see him at the hospital.
Gilman, now 32 years old, had been detained since 2022. Later that year, he was sentenced to four and a half years in a prison colony after being accused of fighting with a Russian police officer at a train station.
Gilman’s family deny the charges and have accused the Russian authorities of wrongfully detaining him for political purposes because he is American.
According to the “Free Robert Gilman” website, Gilman served in the U.S. Marine Corps and also founded “Robert Gilman Just English” to help students in Poland build their English skills. Gilman was in Moldova to teach and was visiting family outside of Moscow when he fell ill and was then accused of kicking a police officer.
Gilman, who was recently designated as a wrongful detainee, was not part of a prisoner exchange, and no other concessions were provided as part of his release, according to the State Department spokesperson.
President Donald Trump said he had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Gilman’s release, adding that “Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place.”
“Robert will land at Andrews Air Force Base, in Washington, D.C., tonight, where my Representatives, some of whom are on the plane with him, will welcome Robert back to THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media account Tuesday.
Lexie Hudson, Gilman’s sister, commented on his release in a press release sent by Global Reach, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing home Americans who are wrongly held abroad.
Hudson thanked both Trump and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey.
“The Russians treated my brother so badly,” Hudson said. “They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?”
“I am looking forward to seeing Robert. I haven’t been able to speak with him once since this all began. We will make sure that he gets the treatment and support that he needs.”
Markey celebrated Gilman’s release in a post on X while also describing Gilman’s debilitating condition.
“Approximately 50 days ago, Robert was diagnosed with a dissociative stupor — a condition where he is non-responsive and unable to interact or eat. He was essentially catatonic and also suffered a severe case of pneumonia. We don’t yet know the full details of his current condition or the long-term impact on his recovery. I’m grateful that Robert is now on his way back to the United States to receive the life-saving care that he desperately needs,” Markey wrote.
Gilman’s family members and representatives have said that in addition to the false charges levied against him, Gilman was subjected to torture and harsh physical and mental abuse by Russian prison guards.
Moscow has so far not commented on Gilman’s release.
Law enforcement at the scene of a shooting in San, Jose, Calif., June 8, 2026. (KGO)
(SAN JOSE, Calif.) — Two people suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting at the Kaiser medical offices in San Jose, California, authorities said.
The San Jose Police Department described the victims as a man and a woman and said both have been taken to the hospital.
Police said the shooting is believed to be an isolated incident and said there’s no threat to the public.
The wooden entrance sign to Yellowstone National Park, USA. (Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
(MYSTIC FALLS, Wyo.) — Two hikers were injured in a bear attack at Yellowstone National Park, prompting some areas of the park to close, the National Park Service said.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful in Wyoming, the park service said.
The two hikers “sustained injuries by one or more bears,” the park service said in a press release on Tuesday.
National Park Service emergency services personnel responded, and the incident remains under investigation, the park service said.
No additional details were released, including the condition of the hikers or the type of bear suspected in the attack.
Some areas of the national park are temporarily closed due to the ongoing investigation.
The last bear attack in Yellowstone was in September 2025, when a 29-year-old man was injured by a grizzly bear while hiking alone near Turbid Lake.
The last deadly bear attack occurred in 2015, in the Lake Village area of Yellowstone, the park service said.
