Photographs and videos shared online in early June showed the utterly insane impact that Canadian wildfires are having on the United States.
Air quality across the eastern U.S. plummeted Tuesday as at least 100 wildfires burned across northwest Quebec. Strong winds have forced the smoke down across the continent, floating as far south as South Carolina, and bringing everything from a dull haze to hellish skies to all that inhabit the region.
The Eastern US and Central Canada are suffering through one of their worst wildfire smoke events in recorded history.
New York City and Toronto have among the top 7 worst air qualities of any major city on Earth. pic.twitter.com/xt3JpyI7XB
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) June 6, 2023
In New York City, fumes from the wildfires blanketed the air. Videos shared by ABC News gave the impression of a dystopian landscape, where the sun could barely eek through the clouds.
BIG SMOKE IN THE BIG APPLE: Hazy and dangerous fumes from ongoing Canadian wildfires blanket the skies over New York City. https://t.co/RE18WertY8 pic.twitter.com/95jdsL8a3e
— ABC News (@ABC) June 7, 2023
Twitter users also shared photographs and videos from Philadelphia, with one individual describing the “strawberry full moon” that sat atop the city skyline. While it might look beautiful, the health impacts could be intense for those already living in polluted urban environments.
Canadian wildfire smoke + the #StrawberryFullMoon = an absolutely otherworldly view in the Philadlephia sky last evening. 🍓🌒 pic.twitter.com/0ZHSdmgBGv
— Natalie Egenolf (@NatalieEgenolf) June 6, 2023
Up in Canada, a video posted by WeatherNation from Ottawa made things look even more terrifying. Red skies burned through the smoke, making the entire city look like something from a post-apocalypse flick. Another user described the strawberry moon in Jackson, New Jersey, as “LA ish,” clearly riffing off the irony that the Californian megalopolis has some of the worst air quality in the country.
🤧🤧 Nearby wildfire smoke is turning the sky orange in Ottawa, Canada.
When the air is an abnormal color, it’s hazardous to anybody (beyond those with respiratory issues). #Canada #smoke pic.twitter.com/INUT34mMaJ
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) June 6, 2023
Fires in Canada in 2023 first made an impact in mid-May, when western burns brought smoke down through the Ohio Valley and beyond. (RELATED: Video Shows Long-Lost Lake Returning To California)
At the time of writing, there are 45 uncontrolled wildfires, 42 that are being held in place, 82 that are currently under control, and a further 20 fires that are under the “modified response” banner, according to Natural Resources Canada. These numbers suggest that we’re in for a good few more days or weeks of thick skies and horror for our northern neighbors.