CANADIAN WILDFIRE SMOKE PUTS 60 MILLION US RESIDENTS ARE UNDER AIR QUALITY ALERTS

On Sunday, air quality alerts were issued for at least 11 states stretched over the Midwest, Plains, and Great Lakes region due to smoke from a Canadian wildfire that is still wreaking havoc on the country.

According to forecasters, about 60 million people, including citizens of Cedar Rapids, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Cleveland, will experience poor air quality and reduced vision from Montana to Ohio.

In a significant portion of the northern Plains from Montana to Illinois on Sunday, the Air Quality Index was in the “unhealthy” zone, which is ranked between Level 4 and 6.

Smoke to get pushed eastwards

As stated by the experts, smoke will be pushed eastwards by the winds which will lead to a smoky haze to the Northeast early in the week. The British Columbia Wildfire Service said that the plume rose from 400 fires ignited in the province of British Columbia in the last week, almost half of which were started after 51,000 lightning strikes took place from thunderstorms.

Canadian authorities on Sunday announced the death of a second firefighter due to the wildfires.

 “I’m incredibly saddened by the news from the Northwest Territories, that another firefighter has lost their life battling wildfires,” tweeted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday. “To their family, their friends, and those they were heroically serving alongside: Canadians are keeping you in our thoughts. We’re here for you,” he added.

Wildfire smoke contains tiny pollutants known as particle matter, or PM 2.5, that can get into the lungs and bloodstream once inhaled. These pollutants most commonly cause difficulty breathing and eye and throat irritation, but have also been linked to more serious long-term health issues like lung cancer, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.