Smoke from some of the 200 wildfires now blazing across Canada swept into West Virginia on Thursday, prompting the state Department of Environmental Protection to issue a statewide Code Orange Air Quality Advisory due to elevated particulate matter.

According to the DEP, the Air Quality Advisory means that fire particulate concentrations within the region could reach levels that make outside air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups, including those with respiratory issues, children and the elderly. The northern and central portions of the state were expected to experience the most significant impact from the smoke.

The advisory will remain in effect at least through 10 p.m. on Thursday.

Wildfires have burned more than 7,683 square miles of Canadian forests and grasslands since mid

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