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yesterday

Canadian Wildfires Force 30,000 Evacuations and Send Smoke Across a Third of U.S.

Health officials warn fine particulate matter from Canada’s 203 active wildfires poses serious risks as air quality alerts extend from New England into the Midwest.

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The Iowa state Capitol is seen through smoky skies due to wildfires in Canada, Wednesday, June 4, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Scott McFetridge)
A stock image of a woman coughing.

Overview

  • More than 30,000 residents in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have fled their homes as hundreds of blazes continue to burn out of control.
  • Provincial agencies report over 2 million hectares scorched this season, with at least 400 structures lost in wildfire strikes on Saskatchewan communities.
  • The U.S. National Weather Service says smoke plumes covered about one-third of the continental United States, prompting air quality alerts in at least five states.
  • Experts caution that PM2.5 particles in wildfire smoke can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular issues, especially among children, the elderly and those with preexisting conditions.
  • Europe’s Copernicus climate service has detected the Canadian smoke reaching across the Atlantic, producing hazy skies without major surface-level pollution spikes.