Cedar Point amusement park, which is owned and operated by Six Flags, closed three hours early on Thursday due to air quality issues that stem from the wildfires in Canada. A blanket of smoke created an apocalyptic scene across much of Ohio.
However, as of this writing, the park reopened for normal hours on Friday morning.
The hazardous wildfire conditions create potential health concerns for patrons and employees. Should the park remain open?
Wildfires in Canada blanket Ohio and the Midwest in smoke.
More than 100 million people are currently under Air Quality Alerts across the Midwest and Northeast. Persistent wins are blowing thick wildfire smoke south from Canada.
Nearly 200 different wildfires are burning out of control in Ontario with no end in sight. More than 1.5 million acres have already burned. 30 new fires sparked on Thursday alone. It is a horrific scene. Especially if you get trapped inside the flames.
Per the most recent update from NASA, the largest cluster of fires is also the most out of control and closest to the United States.
Much like this time last year, the smoke from these fires has migrated south across the border. Michigan reported the worst air quality on record since the early 2000s. Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, and Green Bay were among the major cities to report unhealthy air quality on Thursday. More northeastern cities like New York City were impacted on Friday.
The wildfire smoke is trapped in these states because of persistent northwesternly winds and the jet stream. Upper-level winds are carrying thick plumes of smoke south from Canada into the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast. The smoke is then trapped near the surface by lingering high-pressure systems. Conditions should get better over the weekend but full relief from the haze is not expected until Sunday or Monday when winds are supposed to shift.
Cedar Point amusement park is still open!
Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio— right in the middle of Cleveland and Toledo. The amusement park sits right on the edge of Lake Eerie.
This part of the country is most impacted by the Canadian wildfire smoke. The air quality index in Sandusky is listed at 234 AQI, which is considered very unhealthy.
“Health effects will be immediately felt by sensitive groups and should avoid outdoor activity. Healthy individuals are likely to experience difficulty breathing and throat irritation; consider staying indoors and rescheduling outdoor activities.”
Despite these concerns, Cedar Point stayed open on Thursday. It looked like the apocalypse.
You could barely see the rollercoasters from the parking lot.
As a result, Cedar Point decided to close three hours early on Thursday. The park shut down at 7:00 p.m. instead of 10:00 p.m.
It opened right on time at 10:00 a.m. on Friday! The smoke was not much better, if at all.
Six Flags, which owns the park, is subject to widespread criticism for the decision. Although the patrons have free will and can choose whether or not they want to go to the park in the smoke, the park employees do not have that same luxury.
I would imagine that those who are considered part of the “sensitive group” was exempt from work on Thursday and Friday. Did the other employees get that same option? If not, should they be subjected to the dangerous smoke conditions? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.