Canada wildfires: Satellite photos show massive smoke plumes engulfing the US East Coast
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Massive wildfires in Canada continue to blaze, with little sign of abating.
The flames have expanded throughout Canada in the last six weeks, torching approximately 3.3 million hectares of land. The Canadian wildfire season runs from May to October, but experts say such a big inferno and devastation this early in the season is unusual.
And it might be one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in the history of Canada.
According to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, the devastation caused by these fires in this early month of the season is 13 times greater than the 10-year average.
What's worse, the smoke from wildfires in Canada has been sweeping into the United States. NOAA satellites captured enormous swathes of smoke plumes flowing toward regions of the United States.
Smoke plumes engulf parts of the US
The smoke from fires is steadily spreading across the parts of the United States, thereby, deteriorating the air quality across the East Coast.
Over the last few days, New York City(NYC) has been choked by heavy pollution that turned the skies orange. As per IQAir, NYC reported the worst air quality of any big city in the world on Wednesday, June 7. This also led to the cancellation of some of the big events, including theater productions and two Major League Baseball games.
Images of famous skyscrapers covered in an orange haze of smoke plumes flooded social media.
A regular day in NYC vs. the conditions today 😳 pic.twitter.com/JlxdgoKV2s
— Complex (@Complex) June 7, 2023
The smoke plumes pose major health risks to millions of people as well as animals. People have been urged to stay indoors in places, like New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
"It's critical that Americans experiencing dangerous air pollution, especially those with health conditions, listen to local authorities to protect themselves and their families," President Joe Biden said on Twitter.
The smoke from wildfires may lead to a variety of health problems, including respiratory problems, eye irritation, itchy skin and rashes, and, in rare cases, a heart attack.
400 fires currently spotted in Canada
As per a report, the fires were sparked mainly due to the dry, hot weather combined with human activities, such as cigarette butts. Furthermore, the current harsh hot weather conditions are making it difficult to manage the rapidly growing flames.
Currently, over 400 fires have been reported throughout Canada. The most severe fires have been recorded in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia.
In total, the wildfires in Canada have caused the evacuation of 120,000 people. Canada is currently on "national preparedness level 5," which means that the majority of its national resources are dedicated to combating the fires as soon as possible.
The United States has also dispatched around 600 firefighters to combat the flames. Climate change, according to Biden, was also a factor in triggering such devastating wildfires.
A United Nations report has previously warned that climate change is predicted to increase the severity of worldwide wildfires by up to 57 percent by 2090.
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