Wildfire smoke from hundreds of fires burning in the West has made its way to New England on Thursday afternoon. A long tendril of haze has the potential to impact air quality in cities along the coast, including in Delaware, New Jersey, Cape Cod, New Hampshire, New York City, and parts of Maine. The smoke is a result of the fires burning across Western Canada and the Western United States.
Current Fire Situation
As of Thursday morning, there were 89 active wildfires burning more than 1.6 million acres in the Western United States. Oregon and Washington are experiencing the most extreme fires. In Canada, Alberta and British Columbia are facing over 600 active wildfires, leading to evacuations of tens of thousands of residents, including in popular tourist destinations like Jasper.
Air Quality Concerns
Officials in British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta’s largest city, have warned about deteriorating air quality levels due to the wildfires. Forecasts predict very low air quality levels, prompting concerns among experts. Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire, emphasized that a warmer world contributes to more fires, and these current fires are consistent with the impacts of climate change.
