The summary
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Smoke from wildfires is spreading across North America, threatening air quality in much of Canada, California and the Pacific Northwest.
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A fast-moving fire has caused widespread destruction in the alpine resort town of Jasper, Canada.
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Firefighters in Oregon, Idaho and California are also battling fast-moving fires fueled by gusty winds and hot weather.
Intense wildfires in western Canada have sent huge plumes of smoke across North America in recent days – pollution that has been captured in images from NASA satellites, aircraft and ground-based observatories.
A NASA animation released Friday showed smoke covering British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories in Canada, and floating over Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Wisconsin and other parts of the Midwest.
The maps use NASA data to show the concentration and movement of black carbon, a type of aerosol pollution released by wildfires, in North America from July 17 to 24.
As of Friday afternoon, 948 active fires were burning in Canada, including 387 considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Wildfire Center. A fast-moving fire caused widespread destruction in Jaspera popular alpine resort town in Alberta, and forced the evacuation of 25,000 people.
Large fires in the Pacific Northwest and California are also polluting the air nearby. Last week, air quality watches and advisories were issued in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming. Smoky skies were also reported in North Dakota, South Dakota and the High Plains.
Oregon has the largest active wildfire in the U.S., fueled by lightning, hot weather and strong winds. In total, nearly 1 million acres have burned in more than 35 uncontrolled wildfires in the state.
In neighboring Idaho, fast-moving fires forced the evacuation of the entire town of Juliaetta on Thursday. More than 600 residents fled as the Gwen Fire and other fires in the region continued to spread.
Cities in Oregon, Montana, California and Idaho topped the list of places with the worst air quality in the country on Friday, according to IQAir, a Swiss aerial monitoring company. Air pollution levels in Burns, Oregon, for example, were considered “hazardous,” while air quality in Stevensville, Montana, was “very unhealthy.”
In California, the Fire in the Park has burned more than 250 square miles in the Chico area since it began Wednesday and remained uncontained as of Friday morning.
Firefighters are also battling lightning-sparked fires in the Gold Complex in California’s Plumas National Forest, which have consumed more than 5 square miles since July 22. The fires were just 11% contained as of Friday afternoon, and winds are helping the flames spread quickly, according to Cal Fire.
Smoke from wildfires, which have spread as far east as New England and as far south as Mexico, has numerous consequences for human health.
In addition to black carbon, wildfires emit carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, various chemicals and small particles known as fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. Together, these materials can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and worsen conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, COPD and chronic kidney disease.
Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with asthma or other pre-existing respiratory conditions face the greatest risk from wildfire smoke.
In both Canada and the western US, storms have played a role in sparking many of the active wildfires. Strong winds, heat and more storms fueled the flames.
While summer wildfires are not uncommon in western Canada and the U.S., scientists say climate change is increasing the risk of these fires, creating more favorable conditions for wildfires to start and spread. Higher temperatures also help to dry out vegetation, making it easier to burn.
This article was originally published in NBCNews. with
