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One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

CNN

24 minutes ago

CNN

One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

Air quality has taken a serious hit across the United States as a two-fold blow of wildfires in the West and in Canada have sent smoke pouring across large sections of the country — a problem that's set to linger for days. Air quality alerts are in effect Tuesday for millions of people in 11 states in the Midwest and Northeast due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. Tuesday's smoke concentration isn't quite as intense as it was Monday in these areas but remains a significant health concern, especially for people with breathing issues, children and the elderly. Smoke from intense wildfires in the western US has also decreased air quality in multiple states, especially in Southern California, where crews are battling the state's biggest fire of the year. The weather that fuels wildfires – dry air and strong winds – is coming together more frequently in parts of Canada and the US as the world continues to warm due to fossil fuel pollution. And, the most extreme wildfires in North America are getting more intense, leaving the door wide open for wildfire smoke to impact more people. There are more than 500 out of control wildfires in Canada as of Tuesday morning, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Of those uncontrolled blazes, 140 are burning in the province of Manitoba and there are more than 70 in Saskatchewan. Smoke from those fires and ones in nearby provinces spilled south across the border over the weekend behind a potent cold front that erased intense July heat in the eastern two-thirds of the US. Shortly after, an area of high pressure developed and parked over portions of eastern Canada and the northeastern US and trapped that smoke from the Plains to the Northeast. Air quality was abysmal to start the week in parts of the Midwest and Northeast as a result. Detroit had the third-worst air quality out of any global major city on Monday, spending most of the day with unhealthy or Level 4 of 6 air quality. The city's air quality was sixth-worst in the world early Tuesday morning, according to IQAir, a company that tracks global air quality. Wildfire smoke contains very dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5 that can travel deep into the lungs or enter the bloodstream when inhaled. The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. Smoke near the surface in these regions will start to clear out on Wednesday, but smoke higher in the atmosphere could linger for much of the week before a new cold front helps clear it out over the weekend. High-level smoke has less of an impact on air quality but keeps the sky hazy, sometimes turning the sun into a brilliant orange and enhancing sunrises and sunsets. Wildfire smoke is also causing air quality issues in the West, but this smoke is homegrown. Intense, large wildfires are burning parts of 10 western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, and some are sending smoke hundreds of miles away. California's Gifford Fire become the state's largest wildfire of the year on Tuesday, surpassing the acreage burned by July's Madre Fire. It's burned through more than 82,000 acres of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since igniting Friday and was only 7% contained as of Tuesday morning. Evacuation orders are in effect Tuesday for portions of both counties as warm, dry air and gusty winds continue to fuel fire growth, with little help expected from the weather for fire crews this week. The fire's behavior has been extreme: It burned through an area about the size of a football field every 2 seconds on average Sunday night into Monday morning. Smoke from the Gifford Fire poured south and east into other parts of Southern California and cratered air quality in parts of Nevada – including Las Vegas – on Monday. In fact, air quality in the Las Vegas area on Monday was the worst it's been since February 2023, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The air quality index maxed out on the upper end of the unhealthy – Level 4 of 6 – category early Monday afternoon. Arizona's Dragon Bravo Fire is also spewing smoke well east as it rages along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The megafire has grown to one of Arizona's largest in history since a lightning strike set it off on the Fourth of July. It's burned through dozens of structures, including a historic lodge, and become so intense that it's created its own weather at times. Another wildfire that's created its own weather in recent days and threatened nearby communities is Utah's Monroe Canyon Fire. It's the state's largest wildfire of the year, having burned through more than 63,000 acres since it started in mid-July. The fire was only 13% contained as of Tuesday morning. Smoke from the Monroe Canyon Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire has commingled at times and spread into portions of Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. Wildfire season in the US is far from over, and smoke issues will persist as long as fires blaze. The West will remain the major wildfire hot spot through at least September, forecasts from the National Interagency Fire Center show. CNN Meteorologist Briana Waxman and CNN's Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

CNN

35 minutes ago

CNN

One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

Air quality has taken a serious hit across the United States as a two-fold blow of wildfires in the West and in Canada have sent smoke pouring across large sections of the country — a problem that's set to linger for days. Air quality alerts are in effect Tuesday for millions of people in 11 states in the Midwest and Northeast due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. Tuesday's smoke concentration isn't quite as intense as it was Monday in these areas but remains a significant health concern, especially for people with breathing issues, children and the elderly. Smoke from intense wildfires in the western US has also decreased air quality in multiple states, especially in Southern California, where crews are battling the state's biggest fire of the year. The weather that fuels wildfires – dry air and strong winds – is coming together more frequently in parts of Canada and the US as the world continues to warm due to fossil fuel pollution. And, the most extreme wildfires in North America are getting more intense, leaving the door wide open for wildfire smoke to impact more people. There are more than 500 out of control wildfires in Canada as of Tuesday morning, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Of those uncontrolled blazes, 140 are burning in the province of Manitoba and there are more than 70 in Saskatchewan. Smoke from those fires and ones in nearby provinces spilled south across the border over the weekend behind a potent cold front that erased intense July heat in the eastern two-thirds of the US. Shortly after, an area of high pressure developed and parked over portions of eastern Canada and the northeastern US and trapped that smoke from the Plains to the Northeast. Air quality was abysmal to start the week in parts of the Midwest and Northeast as a result. Detroit had the third-worst air quality out of any global major city on Monday, spending most of the day with unhealthy or Level 4 of 6 air quality. The city's air quality was sixth-worst in the world early Tuesday morning, according to IQAir, a company that tracks global air quality. Wildfire smoke contains very dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5 that can travel deep into the lungs or enter the bloodstream when inhaled. The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. Smoke near the surface in these regions will start to clear out on Wednesday, but smoke higher in the atmosphere could linger for much of the week before a new cold front helps clear it out over the weekend. High-level smoke has less of an impact on air quality but keeps the sky hazy, sometimes turning the sun into a brilliant orange and enhancing sunrises and sunsets. Wildfire smoke is also causing air quality issues in the West, but this smoke is homegrown. Intense, large wildfires are burning parts of 10 western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, and some are sending smoke hundreds of miles away. California's Gifford Fire become the state's largest wildfire of the year on Tuesday, surpassing the acreage burned by July's Madre Fire. It's burned through more than 82,000 acres of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since igniting Friday and was only 7% contained as of Tuesday morning. Evacuation orders are in effect Tuesday for portions of both counties as warm, dry air and gusty winds continue to fuel fire growth, with little help expected from the weather for fire crews this week. The fire's behavior has been extreme: It burned through an area about the size of a football field every 2 seconds on average Sunday night into Monday morning. Smoke from the Gifford Fire poured south and east into other parts of Southern California and cratered air quality in parts of Nevada – including Las Vegas – on Monday. In fact, air quality in the Las Vegas area on Monday was the worst it's been since February 2023, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The air quality index maxed out on the upper end of the unhealthy – Level 4 of 6 – category early Monday afternoon. Arizona's Dragon Bravo Fire is also spewing smoke well east as it rages along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The megafire has grown to one of Arizona's largest in history since a lightning strike set it off on the Fourth of July. It's burned through dozens of structures, including a historic lodge, and become so intense that it's created its own weather at times. Another wildfire that's created its own weather in recent days and threatened nearby communities is Utah's Monroe Canyon Fire. It's the state's largest wildfire of the year, having burned through more than 63,000 acres since it started in mid-July. The fire was only 13% contained as of Tuesday morning. Smoke from the Monroe Canyon Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire has commingled at times and spread into portions of Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. Wildfire season in the US is far from over, and smoke issues will persist as long as fires blaze. The West will remain the major wildfire hot spot through at least September, forecasts from the National Interagency Fire Center show. CNN Meteorologist Briana Waxman and CNN's Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

Air quality alerts in place for 10 states as wildfires burn in Canada and West

Yahoo

3 hours ago

Yahoo

Air quality alerts in place for 10 states as wildfires burn in Canada and West

Red flag warnings remain in place for parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming due to very dry conditions, low humidity and gusty winds and fires in these areas may undergo rapid development as new fires could begin quickly. This comes as 741 wildfires continue to burn in Canada, with 304 labeled 'out of control' and fires have burned more than 16 million acres in Canada this year -- more than double their 10-year average to date. This is already the third most destructive year for wildfires in Canada by acres burned since records began in 1983. In fact, with only 1 million more acres needed to reach the number two spot, it is almost inevitable at this point that 2025 will likely be second on the list for most acres burned by wildfires in Canada since recording began, with first place being 2023 when more than 42 million acres burned. Meanwhile, these western wildfires are creating smokey skies for millions, from Los Angeles to San Diego and to Las Vegas. Air quality alerts are now in place for 10 states from Minnesota to Connecticut and, on Tuesday afternoon, Boston is expected to see a nice break from the smoke thanks to onshore winds keeping smoke inland as Detroit and New York City may catch more of a break due to winds from the east as well. Smoke will be medium to heavy from Duluth to Green Bay to Buffalo to the Hudson Valley as smoke is expected to continue around the region on Wednesday as well.

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One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

Air quality alerts in place for 10 states as wildfires burn in Canada and West

PHOTOS: Supercell hits Calgary area with hail, torrential rains

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One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US

Air quality alerts in place for 10 states as wildfires burn in Canada and West

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