Canadian wildfire smoke puts around 70 million US residents under air quality alerts

They come all the way from America's Southwest. Welcome to Quebec. Now here in northern Quebec's scorched lands, joining hundreds of other American and international firefighters doing what they can to slow wildfires that just won't quit. At this point. We're just trying to secure the edge and make sure that the communities are safe. The Silver State hotshot crew is looking for hot spots. They are firefighting crews specially trained and skilled now taking on Canada's record breaking wild fires. I know you're from Montana, big sky country, but this is *** big fire. This is *** big territory in the scope for us in the States. This would be one of the largest fires ever to occur in the United States. So, yeah, it's *** gig of fire. The total area burned in Canada already has shattered records. Now, 10 million hectares. That's almost 25 million acres, an area nearly as large as the state of Ohio and still burning. And when they burn like this, there's no way to even put people in front of it to even stop the fire. There's no amount of resources on the ground or from the sky that's going to be able to stop one of these fires when they, when they get the momentum as shocking and frankly unsettling as it is. This fire is just far too large to extinguish. In fact, the area already burned is larger than most countries on the planet. It means that not only does the fire burn, but there is going to be *** lot of smoke and that means many American cities could be shrouded in smoke on any given day for weeks or months to come. Don't be surprised if it continues. And secondly, this is, this is *** problem that is going to go on into the future when it's the year to burn and the conditions are right. It's just going to continue to burn here in Quebec. Many were evacuated within minutes as the flames threatened towns and fires burned with raging speed. Jimmy Seaborn is grateful to see American help. He says he had minutes to leave in June and was upset to leave behind the family pets. They were fine when he returned six days later, but he fears his home will be threatened again. It's incredible but it's not normal. He says it's not normal but cautions, we should all learn to expect the worst from the weather. Now, the rain helps, it has finally arrived in some places. But in the words of one Canadian official, it's like *** drop in an otherwise empty bucket. The mayor of this town, Shabo says the rain is an answered prayer. She may not have to evacuate her town again, but they have to adapt. She says no one imagined so much would burn so quickly. Were you scared? Strangely, I wasn't scared. I was mad. And then I have to come down and say, man, you have *** job to do. And that's why, you know, I say, stay calm. And I said to my people, let's be patient, let's do it and keep it. Then it may be difficult to stay calm as mother nature rages. The cliche applies here in every way possible. Canada is burning and it's not out of the woods yet.

Canadian wildfire smoke is bringing unhealthy air across the northern tier of the United States to start the week, triggering air quality alerts for more than a dozen states from Montana to Vermont.Forecasters predicted around 70 million people would see decreased visibility and poor air quality, including residents of Chicago, Detroit, New York, St. Louis and Cleveland.On Monday, the plume of smoke stretched across the US like a noxious belt with several states experiencing “unhealthy” air, which is Level 4 of 6 on the Air Quality Index. Some of the unhealthy air stretched as far south as northern Alabama on Monday morning.The smoke could linger into Tuesday across parts of the East Coast, but is not forecast to reach the same “hazardous” levels there as it did in early June. The smoke should get less potent as the week progresses, according to the Weather Prediction Center.The entire state of New York is under air quality health advisory due to smoke from wildfires in western Canada. “The smoke is expected to cause the Air Quality Index to reach levels in Upstate communities which are ‘Unhealthy for All’ New Yorkers,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release.The state is activating emergency notifications on roads and making masks available for distribution, Hochul said.Winds will continue to push the smoke eastward, bringing a smoky haze to the Northeast early in the week.Hundreds of fires burning across CanadaThe plume was birthed from nearly 400 fires ignited in Canada’s province of British Columbia in the past week, nearly half of which were started by 51,000 lightning strikes from thunderstorms, the British Columbia Wildfire Service said. Some of those thunderstorms were “dry” or produced inconsequential amounts of rain to help quench any fires – a dangerous prospect in a province experiencing the worst level of drought.The province is expected to receive federal assistance to help with its ongoing wildfires, according to a Sunday news release from Public Safety Canada.There are more than 880 fires burning throughout Canada and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says at least 580 of the current wildfires are “out of control,” according to its website.On Sunday, Canadian authorities announced a second firefighter had died battling the wildfires.“We regret to share the tragic news that a firefighter from Fort Liard has passed away from an injury sustained while fighting a wildfire in the Fort Liard District Saturday afternoon,” Canada’s Northwest Territories said in a statement.On Thursday, officials had confirmed the death of a firefighter responding to a blaze near Revelstoke, a town in southeastern British Columbia.“I’m incredibly saddened by the news from the Northwest Territories, that another firefighter has lost their life battling wildfires,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted Sunday. “To their family, their friends, and those they were heroically serving alongside: Canadians are keeping you in our thoughts. We’re here for you.”Pollutants affect millionsWildfire smoke contains tiny pollutants known as particle matter, or PM 2.5, that can get into the lungs and bloodstream once inhaled. These pollutants most commonly cause difficulty breathing and eye and throat irritation, but have also been linked to more serious long-term health issues like lung cancer, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parts of the US will be at risk of smoke for the foreseeable future depending on weather patterns and fire flare-ups because Canada is experiencing its worst fire season on record. More than 24 million acres have burned so far this year, an area roughly the size of Indiana.British Columbia has had more than 1,000 fires start since April. Those fires have already burned through nearly three times the amount of land compared to an average year in British Columbia over the last 10 years, the province’s wildfire service said.

Canadian wildfire smoke is bringing unhealthy air across the northern tier of the United States to start the week, triggering air quality alerts for more than a dozen states from Montana to Vermont.

Forecasters predicted around 70 million people would see decreased visibility and poor air quality, including residents of Chicago, Detroit, New York, St. Louis and Cleveland.

On Monday, the plume of smoke stretched across the US like a noxious belt with several states experiencing “unhealthy” air, which is Level 4 of 6 on the Air Quality Index. Some of the unhealthy air stretched as far south as northern Alabama on Monday morning.

The smoke could linger into Tuesday across parts of the East Coast, but is not forecast to reach the same “hazardous” levels there as it did in early June. The smoke should get less potent as the week progresses, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

The entire state of New York is under air quality health advisory due to smoke from wildfires in western Canada. “The smoke is expected to cause the Air Quality Index to reach levels in Upstate communities which are ‘Unhealthy for All’ New Yorkers,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release.

The state is activating emergency notifications on roads and making masks available for distribution, Hochul said.

Winds will continue to push the smoke eastward, bringing a smoky haze to the Northeast early in the week.

Hundreds of fires burning across Canada

The plume was birthed from nearly 400 fires ignited in Canada’s province of British Columbia in the past week, nearly half of which were started by 51,000 lightning strikes from thunderstorms, the British Columbia Wildfire Service said. Some of those thunderstorms were “dry” or produced inconsequential amounts of rain to help quench any fires – a dangerous prospect in a province experiencing the worst level of drought.

The province is expected to receive federal assistance to help with its ongoing wildfires, according to a Sunday news release from Public Safety Canada.

There are more than 880 fires burning throughout Canada and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says at least 580 of the current wildfires are “out of control,” according to its website.

On Sunday, Canadian authorities announced a second firefighter had died battling the wildfires.

“We regret to share the tragic news that a firefighter from Fort Liard has passed away from an injury sustained while fighting a wildfire in the Fort Liard District Saturday afternoon,” Canada’s Northwest Territories said in a statement.

On Thursday, officials had confirmed the death of a firefighter responding to a blaze near Revelstoke, a town in southeastern British Columbia.

“I’m incredibly saddened by the news from the Northwest Territories, that another firefighter has lost their life battling wildfires,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted Sunday. “To their family, their friends, and those they were heroically serving alongside: Canadians are keeping you in our thoughts. We’re here for you.”

Pollutants affect millions

Wildfire smoke contains tiny pollutants known as particle matter, or PM 2.5, that can get into the lungs and bloodstream once inhaled. These pollutants most commonly cause difficulty breathing and eye and throat irritation, but have also been linked to more serious long-term health issues like lung cancer, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Parts of the US will be at risk of smoke for the foreseeable future depending on weather patterns and fire flare-ups because Canada is experiencing its worst fire season on record. More than 24 million acres have burned so far this year, an area roughly the size of Indiana.

British Columbia has had more than 1,000 fires start since April. Those fires have already burned through nearly three times the amount of land compared to an average year in British Columbia over the last 10 years, the province’s wildfire service said.

Canadian wildfire smoke puts around 70 million US residents under air quality alerts

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Hundreds of fires burning across Canada

Pollutants affect millions

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