Wildfires in Canada

[jalapeno_pretzel]

It's down in NC too. I had a bad headache and dry throat after running just a couple of errands at lunchtime. I can't even imagine how bad it is for those of you further north! I can't even imagine how massive it is to be affecting us so far away. And so early in the fire season.

 

[dznymemories]

My Tigers are scheduled to play Philly this evening. That has now been postponed until tomorrow because of poor air quality. The forecast doesn't sound much better for tomorrow.

 

[wegotodisney]

It's insane. I'm 700 miles away from the fires and can't see the sky on what was forecast to be a sunny day. Looking across the street to my neighbors house it's like a dense fog. I feel for anyone with respiratory issues. My eyes are still watering from going for the mail at noon. All for an LL Bean catalog.

 

[mommasita]

Yeah, I’m in the Toronto area. It’s definitely bothersome. I feel bad for anyone who has to work outside.

Montreal, and yeah. Today was slightly better than yesterday. It still smells like fire and I’m coughing a bit. Recess is indoors for schools. We desperately need rain

 

[Genie+]

The smoke finally made it to my New Jersey town yesterday (600 miles away). Not sure how long it will last.

So sorry Canada

 

[ronandannette]

Looks like the wildfire season is getting started. Is anyone near this area? I hope all stay safe!!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-wildfires-alberta-evacuations-oil-producing-region/

This article was written on May 8 - the Alberta fire situation is now completely under control and all 30,000 evacuees from all regions have been allowed back. All local states of emergency have been lifted. There were no fatalities reported and I can't find a verified report on the number of homes burnt. Below is a picture (published far-and-wide, including the Washington Post) of the smoke in my city, Calgary, on May 17. Mind you, this is about 500 miles south of the region that was on fire.

 

[prairie_girl]

I’m in Winnipeg, literally a 20-30 minute from the centre of Canada and we have no smoke at all. We wouldn’t get it from the East, but we get affected from the West. Hopefully it stays that way, but I imagine we’ll get some at some point.

I’m surprised to hear the air quality is the worst it’s been since the 60s in New York. I assumed after 9/11 it would have been horrible.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I'm right outside Philly in South Jersey and it's really awful. Had to take out the garbage today for tomorrow's pickup and had to rinse my eyes with water when I came back inside. Was only out for maybe five minutes.

 

[AnnaS]

Very, very bad here in NYC/the five boroughs since yesterday. Today was the worst. We have to keep our windows and doors closed. Some smell still gets in. You needed a mask outside. We had white fog and then orange. We were on the Verrazzano Bridge and it seemed like we were engulfed with white sheets around us. You could not see a boat or building from the bridge.

All schools activities/field trips/after school activities cancelled. NYC parks cancelled activities, etc. etc. Hoping for a better tomorrow but they (mayor/weather reports) are saying same as today

 

[Skywalker]

Just outside Toronto - its been crazy the past couple of days. Trying to take the dogs out and you can feel it in the lungs in about 5 minutes. I am 54 years old and have never experienced anything like this. Makes me so sad, mostly for the wildlife.

 

[Imzadi]

NYC supposedly has the worst air now across the world. This is not a time I want us to be first.

I’m in NY too and it’s pretty bad, like a brown fog and a smoky smell in the air. I can even smell it inside my house.

Me too. I put my KN95 mask back on when I walked around yesterday. Today the air was even worse.

This photo is the sun, so orange in the sky. I heard the moon was just as bad.

It's smelled like you're sitting next to a camp fire for the last 2 days and has given me a bad headache.

Ugh, is that why I've had a headache the last couple days? I didn't connect the two.

 

[brockash]

I'm much farther south than you, but I have never experienced this in NY! Does this normally happen with wild fires or is it just the bad luck of how winds blow?

Well we're military but have been here twice so far for a lil over 5 yrs. combined and this has never happened before while we've been here. From talking with ppl. at work who are locals it seems this is the first any of them have seen of this too. I grew up in CO for part of my life, so I'm kinda used wildfires but I had never experienced anything as bad as this there either.

 

[ronandannette]

I’m in Winnipeg, literally a 20-30 minute from the centre of Canada and we have no smoke at all. We wouldn’t get it from the East, but we get affected from the West. Hopefully it stays that way, but I imagine we’ll get some at some point.

I’m surprised to hear the air quality is the worst it’s been since the 60s in New York. I assumed after 9/11 it would have been horrible.

Conditions are well in hand here and as we're heading into our rainy season, scant as it is, it's expected that we've now been through the worst of Firestorm '23. I think you're probably in the clear (pun intended ).

 

[jo-jo]

We had an alert on our phones. People were calling 911 because smelling smoke, they were sure something close by was burning.

i Have the air purifiers that we bought for Covid running.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I'm much farther south than you, but I have never experienced this in NY! Does this normally happen with wild fires or is it just the bad luck of how winds blow?

Not being too technical but a high pressure system is being trapped between two low pressure systems and the smoke is unable to be cleared out by the jet stream. The combination of that weather pattern plus crazy wildfires is a perfect storm. In NYC building today with no ventilation system just windows and you can imagine how bad it got. The level of particles in the air reached about 350. Over 100 is getting dangerous. The most polluted cities in the world average like 125-150! Walked out of the building and it was orange outside. That's as apocalyptic as I ever want to see the sky!

 

[Kimkimba]

I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m close to Philadelphia/New Jersey and it’s bad. The haze and the smell are intense. My young adult son has asthma and usually walks home from work. I’m staying up so I can pick him up from work, and I never pick him up.

 

[mommasita]

We had an alert on our phones. People were calling 911 because smelling smoke, they were sure something close by was burning.

i Have the air purifiers that we bought for Covid running.

Yes, we also have had the alert for several days now. We were just advised that the air quality will be worse tomorrow.

A lot of people are calling emergency services, but due to shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, etc. It is extremely busy.

I am just now reading on how much wildlife we stand to lose, and it’s heart wrenching. It will take years and years to recover. I just can’t stop thinking of them running or flying for safety.

 

[mommasita]

I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m close to Philadelphia/New Jersey and it’s bad. The haze and the smell are intense. My young adult son has asthma and usually walks home from work. I’m staying up so I can pick him up from work, and I never pick him up.

I liked your post only because that’s very wise. He should not be walking in this.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I’m on the MA coast and when I got home today, I thought my neighbor either had his fire pit going or was burning leaves or something, it was so strong, but that wasn’t it. So I’m guessing it was from these fires? Idk. I haven’t seen any haze, though. Sending good wishes to all those affected.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

In Maryland and very hazy/smoky here. So crazy that we’re getting it all the way down here.