Latest news with #JeanineSantucci
USA Today
6 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Canadian wildfire smoke is fouling U.S. air quality. We show where.
Canadian wildfire smoke is fouling U.S. air quality. We show where. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is engulfing much of the eastern and central United States and will last through the week. The wildfires are releasing large amounts of smoke into the atmosphere. Over the Great Plains, the high-level flow of winds has been pushing the smoke south, and shifting upper-level winds from the west will drag the smoke over the eastern states, according to The Weather Channel. Where Canadian smoke blankets the U.S. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Is climate change worsening Canadian wildfires? Some Canadian officials say climate change is playing a part in the blazes. 'It is a simple fact that Canada is experiencing the impacts of climate change, including more frequent and more extreme wildfires,' Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in a CTV News report. Higher temperatures are leading to drier conditions, which makes it easier for forest fires to start. Erratic winds allow the fires to spread, CTV said. How wildfire smoke can travel thousands of miles Wildfire smoke worsens air quality Wildfire smoke has been fouling U.S. air quality for several days, starting in states bordering Canada, including the Dakotas, Minnesota and other Midwestern states. The smoke has drifted south and east, creating moderate air quality levels for a large swath of central and southeastern states, according to By the morning of June 3, air quality in Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida, was at a moderate level. How wildfire smoke can endanger your health Inhaling smoke can result in a variety of ailments, from minor irritability to more serious problems like respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. According to the EPA, particulate matter, also known as PM 2.5, is a main component of wildfire smoke and is the air pollutant of greatest concern to public health. The fine particles are inhaled and enter your lungs and bloodstream where they can cause damage to other organs. Exposure has been linked to a higher risk of lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes and brain damage. If the air quality becomes unhealthy, avoid physical exertion, including indoors. While inside, keep windows and doors shut. Leave off any air conditioning or fan systems that pull air from outside, and use air filters or air purifiers. You can monitor air quality in your area at More: U.S and Canada wildfire and smoke tracker. See air quality warnings near you. More: Which states will see smoke from Canadian wildfires? EPA issues air quality warnings. CONTRIBUTING Jeanine Santucci and Chad Murphy, USA TODAY Network SOURCE The Air Quality Index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NASA, NOAA This story was updated to add new information.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Arizona wildfire consumes thousands of acres, prompts evacuations: See map
A fire in Arizona has set over 3,500 acres ablaze and is continuing to grow as officials work to control the flames, according to officials. The Greer Fire started Tuesday at 11 a.m. local time in Greer, Arizona, which is around 223 miles northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, according to a press release published by 311 Info. Within hours, the fire set thousands of acres ablaze, reported Arizona Central, a part of the USA TODAY Network. Several areas have since been forced to evacuate. The fire is still active as high winds continue to affect the area, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. As of Tuesday night, 150 personnel were working to control the fire. More news: Extreme heat warning comes for Texas – and other spots you wouldn't expect The following areas are in "Go" status, meaning they are being asked to evacuate, according to InciWeb: Greer South Fork Residents west of Highway 261 People residing on River Road in Eagar west to Highway 261 are in "Set" status, meaning that are being asked to prepare for evacuation, but an evacuation order has not been enforced in the area. A shelter is open at St. Johns at the County Fairground, which can house large and small animals, according to InciWeb. A number of streets have also been closed due to the raging fire. The Greer Fire hit Arizona at the same time as firefighters in Northern Minnesota are fighting wildfires. The region faces yet another day of "near critical" fire weather on Wednesday, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. The largest fire in the state is in St. Louis County, where the Camp House fire has set over 11,700 acres ablaze and is 0% contained, according to Gordon Ramsay, the St. Louis County Sheriff. At least 144 structures have been destroyed since the fire started. In Minnesota, the House Fire, Jenkins Fire, and Munger-Shaw fires have been fueled by a wave of dry heat and record-breaking temperatures in the Northern Plains. In total, the fires have set nearly 20,000 acres ablaze. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci; USA TODAY Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greer Fire in Arizona sets thousands of acres ablaze: See map
USA Today
22-03-2025
- USA Today
'The biggest fountain I've seen yet': Watch Kilauea erupt for 14th time since December
'The biggest fountain I've seen yet': Watch Kilauea erupt for 14th time since December Show Caption Hide Caption Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts with intense lava flow Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupted with the latest eruption episode sending lava up to 600 feet high. The Kīlauea volcano has now erupted 14 times since December on the Island of Hawai'i, geologists confirmed. The eruption lasted 29 hours between 9:26 a.m. Hawaiian time Wednesday through 1:49 p.m. Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. During the last eight hours, fountains shot up to 600 feet high, mainly through the south vent at the closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Video shared on social media captured the lava shooting up and flowing on the ground. "Way over the rim. This the biggest fountain I've seen yet," someone is heard saying in one video posted on X. Though lava didn't threaten communities nearby, the U.S. Geological Survey has warned that volcanic gas and strands of volcanic glass known as Pele's hair can affect residents and visitors nearby. Safety hazards for those near the eruption include high levels of volcanic gas, primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. The active volcano has erupted more than dozen times since Dec. 23, with each episode lasting between 13 hours to 8 days, the USGS confirmed. Pauses in volcanic activity have lasted anywhere from hours to up to 12 days. The longest eruption episode lasted over a week between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3, the USGS reported. When has the volcano erupted? Dec. 23 (14 hours) Dec. 24 - Dec. 25 (15 hours) Dec. 26 - Jan. 3 (8.5 days) Jan. 15 - Jan. 18 (3 days) Jan 22 - Jan. 23 (14 hours) Jan 24 - Jan. 25 (13 hours) Jan. 27 - Jan. 28 (16 hours) Feb. 3 - Feb. 4 (21 hours) Feb. 11 - Feb. 12 (22 hours) Feb. 19 - Feb. 20 (13 hours) March 4 - March 5 (27 hours) March 11 (13 hours) March 19 - March 20 (29 hours) What is Kilauea? Kilauea is the most active volcano in the world. It's located in southeastern part of the Island of Hawai'i in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The mountain is part of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which also includes the other most active volcano and popular tourist destination of Mauna Loa. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
3.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Maine rocks parts of Boston
A 3.8 magnitude earthquake shook parts of New England on Monday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake occurred around 10:30 a.m. about 8 miles of the coast of York Harbor in Southern Maine, USGS reported. The New England earthquake was originally reported at a magnitude of 4.1 on Monday but was then downgraded to a 3.8 magnitude by the USGS. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. People in the Boston area reported on social media that they felt some shaking and an intensity map available on the USGS's website showed reports of light vibrations as far south as Rhode Island. Residents in the suburbs of Boston felt a "long, steady rumbling" that lasted several seconds and reported seeing trees swaying, according to the local news station NBC Boston. Earthquakes occur much less frequently in the eastern United States than in the West. Moderately sized quakes strike New England every few decades while smaller quakes shake the region roughly twice a year, according to the USGS. A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit Tewksbury, New Jersey last April, sparking tremors up and down the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and causing shaking as far north as Connecticut. More: How rare are East Coast earthquakes? One of the largest earthquakes ever reported in New England happened off the coast of Massachusetts near Cape Ann in 1755. Historians and seismologists estimate the earthquake's magnitude at around 6.0, based on comparisons of damage reports to those from modern earthquakes. Damage from the storm, including collapsed chimneys and debris-riddled streets, were reported from Portland, Maine to New Haven, Conn., according to the Massachusetts Historical Society. Seismologists record about 900,000 earthquakes worldwide every year, but the vast majority occur along plate boundaries not found in the eastern and midwestern U.S., according to Michigan Technological University's Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. Earthquakes on the east coast can affect larger areas than similar sized earthquakes in the West, according to the USGS. A 2011 5.8 magnitude earthquake n Virgina was felt up to 600 miles from where it began. A 6.0 magnitude earthquake in Napa, Calif in 2014 was only felt around 250 miles from its epicenter, the USGS reported. The reason is thar rocks in the eastern U.S. are much older than in the West, in some cases by millions of years. Those older rocks are harder and denser, making it easier for seismic waves to travel across them. In the West, faults are newer and absorb more of the seismic wave energy, so earthquakes don't travel as far. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Dinah Pulver, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3.8 magnitude earthquake hits Maine, shaking the Boston area
