Western & Canadian Wildfires Create Hazy Skies Across the Northwoods By Liz Holbrook Jul 14, 2021 | 8:06 PM RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) â The skies over parts of Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula havenât been quite as blue were used to lately. Wildfire smoke trapped in the upper atmosphere has created a haze in the area. Trent Wickman is an air resource specialist for the National Forest Service based in Duluth who studies air quality in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. âThe northern parts of these three states is generally some of the cleanest in the entire eastern United States,â said Wickman. Wickman said the haze is created by the smoke from dozens of wildfires throughout the western U.S., Canada, and Minnesota. âItâs very dry in northern Minnesota right now and in southern Canada. Thereâs some fire activity in that area,â said Wickman. âThen also thereâs a lot of fire activity out west and more recently in Montana. If you look at some websites and look and see where all that smoke is mixing together and coming our direction.â