Wildfires are currently ravaging the Canadian wilderness, destroying vast amounts of wildlife. Although the current forest fires are widespread across Canada, the consequent poor air quality has made its impact on the Northeast region of the United States due to shifting wind currents. Air quality alerts continue to be in effect across several states in the Northeast.
Earlier this week, New York experienced high levels of smoke in the air, causing the sky to appear yellow. Later in the week, the winds shifted westward towards Pennsylvania and the Washington D.C. area. Experts predict that the smoke will disperse in the coming days, and are hopeful that precipitation and strong winds from all directions will soon help to clear the air.
New York experienced the worst of this crisis, with the state’s AQI (Air Quality Index) reaching levels as high as 484 out of 500. Due to the hazardous air quality levels, many people chose to wear masks in order to protect themselves from the dangerous air. As of Friday morning, the air quality index in New York City has reached a safe level of 71. However, experts warn that this situation may be far from over. As there are still hundreds of active wildfires in Canada.
There are currently wildfires in every Canadian province and territory except for Prince Edward Island and Nunavut. Canadian firefighters are working tirelessly to stop the spread of wildfires that have burned more than 12,700 square miles of land so far. Due to the excessive number of wildfires, Canada has requested assistance from its allies to send firefighters to help combat the fires. More than 1,100 firefighters from France, Chile, Costa Rica, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa have been dispatched to Canada as part of an international effort to combat the devastating wildfires ravaging the country.
Due to budget cuts in 1990, the resources of the Canadian Forest Service have been limited. The Canadian government and its allies are dedicating significant resources to combat the present wildfires. Fighting wildfires can take weeks, if not months, to extinguish. The hazardous air may return due to shifting winds, and experts advise those in the Northeast to stay cautious.
by Justin Goldberg