Canadian Wildfires Send Smoke Plunging US Air Quality

Canadian Wildfires Blanket US East Coast in Smoke: Air Quality Suffers Wildfires raging across Canada have caused a significant decline in air quality across the eastern United States, with impacts reaching as far south as Georgia. The smoke, carried by prevailing winds, has resulted in lower-than-average air quality readings in numerous states. CTV News meteorologist Kelsey McEwen explains that "states like the Dakotas, down south to Georgia, even through the Carolinas are reporting a reduction in air quality from the fires in Canada." She uses weather models to show the eastward movement of the smoke plume, emphasizing that the model "cannot forecast how the fires expand if they do, and the amount of particulate matter that could increase in the air." The situation has prompted air quality warnings and statements across several Canadian provinces, with varying levels of severity dependent on smoke concentration. Mcewen points out that areas like Ontario, Quebec, and even Atlantic Canada are experiencing haze and reduced visibility. The video also shows the forecasted wind gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour in the northern prairies. While the immediate impact is a concern, the situation highlights the transboundary nature of environmental challenges and the need for ongoing monitoring and cooperation between nations.