Six Flags Great America had to close its doors as smoke from the widespread wildfires in Canada filled the air in parts of the U.S., causing unhealthy conditions around Chicago.
The amusement park, along with Hurricane Harbor Chicago in Gurnee, Illinois, announced the closure on Friday due to the adverse air quality in the city. The company indicated on its website that a reopening is anticipated for Saturday, provided conditions improve, according to a spokesperson.
A spokesperson explained, “We’ve decided to close the park today based on current air quality and guidance from safety experts.” They also expressed gratitude towards customers for their patience and stated they would keep an eye on the situation with hopes of reopening as scheduled.
For now, a pollution alert remains in effect for the Chicago area, lasting until Saturday night, as smoke from the wildfires in northern Ontario continues to move southward. On Friday, air quality in Chicago peaked at “hazardous,” but later slipped to “unhealthy,” suggesting risks for some members of the public.
Recently, Chicago had the worst air quality among major cities globally, and as of Thursday, Canada was battling 859 wildfires, 113 of which were deemed out of control, according to government reports.
The smoke has affected vast areas of the United States, stretching across the Great Lakes, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions, exposing over 100 million individuals to unhealthy air. Even New York City has been dealing with the fallout from the smoke.
Air quality in New York was marked as “unhealthy” on Friday, with the city issuing a health alert. IQAir noted that it ranked fourth among major cities for the poorest air quality.
Health authorities recommended that residents, particularly those with respiratory issues, stay indoors and limit outdoor activities.
In a related note, President Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada, accusing them of mismanaging their forests in response to the smoke issue.
He stated on a platform, “We are responsible for the fact that Canada is not properly maintaining its forests and the brush that they contain. The United States is being needlessly invaded by filthy, polluted air, which is dangerous and completely unacceptable.” He mentioned plans to call the Prime Minister for discussions on the matter.
