Smoke spreading from forest fires in Canada and Minnesota
Millions of people from the Great Lakes to Washington, DC, are breathing dangerous air as smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada and Minnesota spreads across the region. Air quality alerts have been issued for millions of residents, with hazardous conditions reported in cities including Detroit, Minneapolis and Toronto, according to AccuWeather.
An unfortunate series of weather conditions is responsible for the toxic smoke spreading so far.
“A heat dome spanning the central United States has shifted back to the west,” said Peyton Simmers, meteorologist at AccuWeather. As the heat dome was changing, wildfires broke out in Canada.
“On the northern edge of the heat dome, there are northwesterly winds that are aimed at the Great Lakes and the northeastern United States,” Simmers said. “The smoke rises into the air like train tracks and goes where the wind blows.”
Smoky conditions may last through the weekend
Accuweather predicts smoky conditions will persist throughout the weekend without any respite across the Great Lakes region and up to New York. “Relief is in sight this weekend as winds will become more westerly and smoke will stay away from the United States,” Simmers said. “Although any northwesterly winds next week could bring smoke back to the Great Lakes and the Northeast, it should not be as bad as it is currently,” he said.
Why is the fire burning so fast?
Simmers said smoke is the main reason air quality is so bad, but stagnant air and elevated ozone in big cities can make things worse.
Asked why the fires are burning so fast at the moment, Simmers says, “The recent lack of rainfall and heat in southern Canada is drying up the fuel needed for wildfires.”
Who is most at risk – and how to stay safe
Poor air quality presents a greater risk to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems such as asthma and COPD. “People should stay inside,” Simmers said. If you need to be outside, make sure there’s room to keep your head indoors and wear a mask. “If driving, turn on the AC to recirculate air to limit exposure, and finally, make sure pets remain indoors.”
Contributing: Shawn Sullivan, USA TODAY. Reporting by USA TODAY Network’s Ramon Padilla and Janet Loehrke via Reuters Connect.