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USA Today
5 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Canadian wildfire smoke is back again. How bad will it get?
In June 2023, a surreal glowing orange haze descended on New York City and across other East Coast locations as winds concentrated and redirected smoke from Canada wildfires. The smoke eventually lessened, but continued causing widespread unhealthy air quality in the United States throughout the spring and summer. There are signs that this summer could bring a similar problem, as June 2025 brings hazy skies and air quality concerns in some areas. The bad news: Smoke will likely be an ongoing health hazard across North America for the next few months. "Communities across both Canada and the United States should stay informed about air quality advisories and be prepared for potential health impacts related to smoke exposure," atmospheric scientist Djordje Romanic of McGill University told USA TODAY in an e-mail June 4. Some good news The circumstances that led to the smoky chaos of 2023 were unique. Canada didn't just break its wildfire records that year, it obliterated them. Nearly 58,000 square miles of the nation burned — an area about the size of Illinois — in more than 6,500 wildfires coast-to-coast from April to October, according to revised numbers from the Canadian Forest Service. And weather patterns acted in a complex dance to redirect that smoke to the United States. "Not at the same time, but one weather pattern would be succeeded by another weather pattern that were responsible for transporting smoke across Canada and the United States," Romanic said. 2025 looks smoky, but not that as smoky So far this year, wildfires in Canada have burned nearly 7,685 square miles, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. While that's about four times the average, it's still well below the 11,766 square miles that were scorched as of this date in 2023, which remains the nation's worst wildfire season on record. Romanic said the summer forecast by Environment and Climate Change Canada showed continued hot and dry conditions throughout this summer, particularly in northern Ontario and the western provinces. "We expect a hotter summer than normal," he said. "Such an environment is likely to sustain an above-average fire season, though it may not reach the scale of 2023." What weather pushes Canadian smoke into the US? Some of the weather patterns that transport smoke from Canada to the United States include northwesterly winds behind cold fronts that pass over Canada and move into the United States, Romanic said. Also, high-pressure systems (ridges and anticyclones) over central and eastern North America can trap smoke close to the ground due to the large-scale subsidence (sinking) associated with them, he added. In addition, he said that at higher altitudes, if the smoke rises there, certain jet stream alignments can transport smoke particles from Canada to the United States. A tricky science As for what's going to happen with smoke this summer, Christy Climenhaga, a scientist from Environment and Climate Change Canada told USA TODAY June 5 that "smoke forecasting is a tricky science." She said it depends on a number of factors, including the location of both the source fires and the end location, how big the fires are, along with the weather patterns in place at the time. In 2023, a predominant large-scale jet-stream pattern featured a large ridge in the western United States and Canada, and a trough across the East. This allowed the fires to burn under hot, dry skies and the smoke from the fires to funnel into the eastern US. "It can get stuck in this persistent pattern for a while," she said. With a smoky summer forecast across Canada this year, this pattern could again spread smoke downstream into the U.S. throughout the summer. Contributing: Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Helldivers 2 new Warbond – Masters of Ceremony release date, price and new items
Helldivers is set to deliver a Warbond full of old-timey weapons, and thankfully, it's not just paying customers who will get something out of its arrival. The Helldivers 2 new Warbond is almost here, and it's boasting a few changes to existing Warbonds that you might want to pay attention to if you're a truly dedicated soldier of Super Earth. It's time for more goodies to come in Helldivers 2, and as Arrowhead Game Studios continues to keep players on the straight and narrow when it comes to distributing democracy, it's getting even more stuck into the ceremony of things. There is a certain amount of class and culture that is demanded of Super Earth on the galactic stage, and it looks like Arrowhead Game Studios is more than willing to oblige, even after the Servants of Freedom Warbond issued a faceless Romanic sense of dread, and the slightly botched Helldivers 2 Killzone crossover issued players with some incredible cosmetics. It's time for shooter title to embrace the arrival of the Helldivers 2 new Warbond titled Masters of Ceremony, a new collection of items that reflects the bayonetted combat of old and plunging Super Earth back many hundreds of years to 1776. It's a charming and reflective warbond full of silly, exciting goodies for you to enjoy – but for those of you who aren't so keen on shelling out for the premium content, there are a few changes coming to existing Warbonds that could make your in-game lives better regardless. Here's everything you need to know about the Helldivers 2 new Warbond. Helldivers 2 new Warbond Release date The Helldivers 2 new Warbond, Masters of Ceremony will release on Thursday, May 15 at 2am PDT / 5am EDT / 10am BST. The time has been confirmed by Arrowhead in a Discord announcement, and the time is an estimation based on recent Warbond release times, like the Chemical Agents release time and Truth Enforcers release time. Price As ever, the Helldivers 2 new Warbond will cost 1,000 Super Credits, which can be purchased from the shop in a bundle for £7.99 / $9.99 / AU$14.95. Check in on how much of the currency you have, and if you're lucky, you can make it up in-game with the Warbonds you already have. The Warbond won't go anywhere and you can come to it whenever you're ready, so don't panic too much. New items Revealed in a new blog post on the PlayStation website, there are a heap of new items and cosmetics available in the Helldivers 2 new Warbond. Here's everything you can unlock: RE-1861 Parade Commander Armour RE-2310 Honorary Guard Armour R-2 Amendment Primary Weapon CQC-2 Saber Secondary Weapon CQC-1 One True Flag Strategem Sample Scanner Booster G-142 Pyrotech Throwable Humble Regalia Player Banner Federation's Embrace Player Banner Humble Regalia Cape Federation's Embrace Cape Lockstep Emote Decorated Hero Player Title Extra rewards The fresh items don't end here with the Helldivers 2 new Warbond, either, as Arrowhead has revealed that a new stash of FRV Patterns are coming to Warbonds already owned by many players. Players are urged to check in on the following Warbonds to see some new content that players can claim: Viper Commando Freedom's Flame Chemical Agents Truth Enforcers It's a nice bonus treat for dedicated players, and one that will no doubt add a little extra value to the Warbonds that the game produces from here on out. The Helldivers 2 new Warbond is a charming collection of items for you to bag, and one that will no doubt make you feel a little more connected to the battles of Super Earth's past. Get stuck in.
