Wildfire smoke: Everything you need to know about Canadian fires
Rachel Schilke
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Wildfire smoke from Canada continues to ravage the northern part of the United States, affecting visibility and the health of over 98 million people.
The smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada continues to drift south, bringing with it a dull, gray pallor that has settled over many city skylines and caused many to wake to the smell of smoke.
WILDFIRE SMOKE MAP: TRACK MASSIVE HAZE IN REAL-TIME ACROSS THE US
Here is some information on air quality in Washington, D.C., tips and tricks to staying safe, and a timeline of the wildfires.
D.C. air quality
Washington, D.C.’s Thursday air quality is marked as “very unhealthy” with an air quality index score of 154, according to AccuWeather. The U.S. air quality index, or the six-tier scale used by the EPA, helps measure air quality and particulate pollution in a given area.
The district is currently under a “code red” air quality alert, meaning that air pollution conditions are unhealthy for all people. Code red spans an air quality rating of 151-200.
As of 7 a.m. EDT, some of the district’s areas showed a code purple, an air quality rating between 201 and 300. Under this index, the air is considered very unhealthy.
Several Washington residents and reporters have posted on Twitter to show photos of the smoggy sky.
https://twitter.com/Joy7News/status/1666738606881357826
Washington Metro alerted commuters that the transit system is open-air, so similar air quality effects may be visible inside the stations.
“Metro’s trains and buses are equipped with advanced filtration systems that remove approx. 98% of pollutants on a constant basis,” Washington Metro tweeted. “We continue to monitor this situation but want to assure you that this is not impacting service.”
Timeline for the wildfires
Wildfires have been spreading across Canada over the last six weeks, prompting evacuations and causing more than 3.3 million hectares of land to burn.
The Canadian government announced on Monday that the nation is set to experience one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, and it will be exacerbated by drought and high temperatures.
As the smoke began spreading over the U.S., the National Weather Service issued an air quality alert on Wednesday for much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region.
Millions of residents in states stretching as far West as Ohio and Kansas and as far south as South Carolina were given health advisories to limit outdoor activity. Other states in the Northeast, such as Pennsylvania and New York, urged residents to remain indoors and keep windows closed due to the dangerous air quality.
Dense smoke settled over major cities in the Northeast, turning skies above New York City a hazy orange, while Washington is experiencing grayish tones of smoke in the air.
Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia had air quality indexes ranging from the 150s to the 200s or 300s, ratings considered “unhealthy,” “very unhealthy,” or “hazardous” as of mid-morning on Wednesday.
Officials across several states have issued health advisories until at least midnight on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Several meteorologists said that, based on the current weather and wind pattern, the air quality is not likely to change for several days.
“Conditions are likely to remain unhealthy, at least until the wind direction changes or the fires get put out,” U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said to Fox News. “Since the fires are raging — they’re really large — they’re probably going to continue for weeks. But it’s really just going to be all about the wind shift.”
What leaders are saying about the wildfires
In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued “code red” alerts for the area and ordered schools to cancel outdoor recess, sports, and field trips for Thursday.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave an update on the wildfires on Wednesday, praising the heroics of firefighters.
“Firefighters are stepping up, first responders are stepping up in harrowing situations to save their fellow citizens,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau tweeted on Wednesday that he spoke to President Joe Biden on the phone.
“Hundreds of American firefighters have recently arrived in Canada, and more are on the way. On the phone today, I spoke with @POTUS Biden about this critical support — and I thanked him for all the help Americans are providing as we continue to fight these devastating wildfires,” Trudeau said.
“We’re seeing more and more of these fires because of climate change. These fires are affecting everyday routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality. We’ll keep working — here at home and with partners around the world — to tackle climate change and address its impacts,” the prime minister continued.
https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1666586130571993088
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the wildfires were another example of the negative effects of climate change.
“This is yet another alarming example of the ways in which the climate crisis is disturbing our lives and our communities,” she said. “That’s why, from day one, President Biden rightfully recognized the climate crisis, climate change, as one of the four crises facing our nation as he was coming into the Oval Office.”
How to stay safe
The American Red Cross has urged people to try to keep the smoke outside by keeping windows and doors closed, as well as using air conditioning units or fans to remain cool.
Those under air quality advisories should avoid going outside when possible. If going outside, people should consider wearing an N95 mask or respirator mask to cover the mouth and nose.
People with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or other lung conditions should be particularly cautious about their behavior because their conditions can be exacerbated by the particulate matter from wildfire smoke. Those who are pregnant should try to limit outside activity as much as possible, as well.
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Get more information
To keep track of the air quality in a certain state or region, the public can visit websites for AccuWeather and the National Weather Service, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration tracker for those traveling.
People should be advised that each air quality tracker website will give slightly different indexes depending on the area and other factors.