A series of Wildfires in western Canada have caused widespread smoke drift to the United States and go east to New York. The smoke has caused poor air quality and health problems in many areas.
Wildfires in Canada
The fires raged for weeks and they were fueled by the hot, dry weather and strong winds. The fires destroyed hundreds of homes and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
Smoke from the fires was a significant air quality issue in many parts of the United States. The smoke caused cloudy skies and poor air quality, and led to the issuance of health advisories in many areas.
Smoke from the Canadian fires is expected to continue to reach the United States over the next few days. People in affected areas are advised to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activities.
Canada: fires continue in Quebec
The Canadian province of Quebec was eagerly awaiting the arrival of reinforcements to fight virulent fires whose smoke covered New York and other parts of the United States of an apocalyptic haze.
Smoke from the wildfire covered the Statue of Liberty
The devastating fires in this country, now concentrated in this French-speaking province, have caused the the evacuation of more than 20,000 people and so far this year almost 3.8 million hectares have been razed, reported the AFP news agency.
With 150 active fires, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described this fire season as the worst in its history and warned that resources “are at their limit”.
Smoking in the United States
Smoke from the fire reached the northeastern United States and extend west to Chicago and south to Atlantaleading the Environmental Protection Agency to issue warnings for an area of over 100 million people.
The thick toxic layer engulfed the Statue of Liberty and the skyscrapers of the Big Apple glowing between orange and brown, have delayed flights and forced the postponement of sporting events.
Masks, remnants of the pandemic, have again appeared on the streets. “It smells like someone is barbecuing,” Nicha Suaittiyanon, a 30-year-old tourist from Thailand, said with tears in her eyes.
The smoke has reached the United States
Quebec mobilizes hundreds of people to fight the fire and hopes to reach 1,200 with international aid.
The European Union has offered to send more than 280 firefighters from France, Spain and Portugal, as announced by the president of its executive body, Ursula von der Leyen.
The White House said President Joe Biden had also offered Trudeau “additional support to respond to the devastating and historic wildfires.”
Trudeau wrote on Twitter that he had thanked Biden. “These fires are affecting daily routines, lives and livelihoods, and air quality,” he said.
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