The smoke that's been inundating Wisconsin is impacting everything that takes a breath - including plants.  Kiley Allan talks with Brent Elliot, Director at Stratford Area Fire Department EMS.  He says the area is experiencing thick, poor air quality due to Canadian wildfire smoke, which was forecasted by the National Weather Service alongside high heat and humidity. Individuals with respiratory illnesses (asthma, COPD, emphysema) and cardiovascular conditions are at high risk, as poor lung oxygenation directly strains the heart and body tissues. Individuals should immediately rest if they experience "the dangerous triad": feeling winded/struggling to breathe, feeling dizzy or lightheaded (signs of low oxygenation), or experiencing heavy chest tightness. Those at risk should stay in air-conditioned indoor spaces. If outdoors, it is advised to stay hydrated, spend 15–20 minutes of every hour in shaded shelter (such as a tent or an air-conditioned vehicle), and monitor companions. Event medical staff are equipped to handle respiratory distress early with roaming teams, air-conditioned facilities, and oxygen therapy, preventing minor symptoms from escalating into emergencies.

Not much smoke in our forecast today!  Stu Muck says the cooler temperatures we're enjoying today also give us an air advisory break.  Muck says this pattern will stick around for about 36 hours, and then it's back to more heat and potentially more smoke.

Ice cream provides a nice, cool treat to break the heat of July.  Teri Barr reports that it's also acting as a conversation starter for the 79th Alice in Dairyland, Anastasia Poull.  Poull is using ice cream as the platform to educate consumes about Wisconsin's roll in delivering the tasty treat.

Beef cattle supplies will continue to be tight into 2027.  That's driving live animal prices even higher.  Pam Jahnke reports that the chair of the World Ag Outlook board is expecting those prices to keep ratcheting up into 2027.

One of the elements that attracts people to Wisconsin is our green space, including our forests.  What you may not realize is that more than 56% of all our forests in the state are owned by private land owners. That's between 9-11 million acres.  If those land owners don't have a plan on how to maintain and manage those lands, there's a problem.  Kiley Allan introduces us to Tony Johnson, Forestry Outreach Specialist with UW-Madison.  He says only 25% of Wisconsin woodland owners have a written forest management plan.  His goal is to help others create a blueprint for getting what they want out of their woods.