Little known fact: Shelter Air’s founder, Kimberly Sevilla, is also a volunteer fire fighter and a sailor on the Hudson River. That’s why when she speaks fire and air quality, we listen.

“These wildfires are no joke,” Kimberly told her audience at Shelter Air’s Instagram. “Today’s air quality is a reminder that what happens outside doesn’t always stay outside. Fine smoke particles can make their way into your home, affecting the air you and your family breathe.”

Wanting to know how to protect the air inside residential and commercial areas, A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Shelter Air for their recommendation. “Shelter Air has been installing MERV 13 media filters to help capture a high percentage of smoke, dust, pollen, and other fine airborne particles that standard 1” filters often miss,” they told us.

“If your HVAC system can accommodate a media filter, it’s one of the best upgrades you can make for your home’s indoor air quality.”

All levels of leadership are recommending to stay indoors. But that is hard during this beautiful summer. Many recreational activities have been canceled or moved. Games for Beacon Hoops were canceled on Wednesday for the younger league, and then moved inside to Rombout Middle School for the high school league. The Riverpool at Beacon had to close 2 days this week due to the poor air quality, after coming up for air when the water quality improved after the sewage leak in Yonkers around July 4th when the Sloop Clearwater was banned from the Sail4th 250 tall ship 4th of July maritime parade for flying a banner that said “Save The Clean Water Act.”

Shelter Air’s final words: “Stay indoors when the Air Quality Index is high, keep your windows closed, and let your HVAC system do its job. Clean air matters—especially on days like today.”

This content is a re-post from the multi-advocate @JennaLynnKing, who collected and posted on her Instagram. The video she posted of the smoke bellowing from where the ocean meets the land is from @lyndo.tyler on July 14th or 15th, who is a photographer, who said in his caption of the video: "Can't believe this happened. I watched my home burn...Although happy we got everyone out at the last minute...Haven't slept yet."

Photo Credit: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System

Here is Canada’s Prescribed Fire policy for Forest Management. Here is Canada’s response to this season’s wildfire season so far. According to Canada’s fire tracking system, there are 899 active wildfires, with 98 reported today (for example). Of those, there are two notable levels: “Out of Control” and “Out of Control (Monitored).”

Jenna King said of Ontario:

“Canada is on fire

“As of July 15, 2026, there are over 100 active wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario, with 148 active wildland fires in the province’s northwest alone — 69 of them not under control.

“Entire communities have been forced to flee. The sky over Toronto has turned orange. And the smoke is now drifting into the United States.”