The UK Met Office reports that smoke from Canada’s record-breaking fire season has crossed the northern Atlantic and is now affecting parts of western Europe.
The UK Met Office reports that smoke from Canada’s record-breaking fire season has crossed the northern Atlantic and is now affecting parts of western Europe. With smoke from the fires crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reaching western Europe on Monday, Canada has officially experienced its worst wildfire season on record.
With at least 19,027,114 acres already scorched nationwide, Canada has had a dramatic start to the wildfire season. There is still more than half of the peak season for wildfire activity in Canada, which typically peaks from June to August.
This year’s fire season in Canada has surpassed the previous record set in 1989 for the total area burned as a result of the uncharacteristically early wildfire smoke season. According to data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, at least 18,254,317 acres of land burned nationwide in 1989.
According to the UK Met Office, the wildfire smoke that earlier this month enveloped New York City in a cloud of smog has now spread as far as the United Kingdom.
On June 7, as smoke and haze from Canadian wildfires obscure the Manhattan skyline, passengers of the Roosevelt Island Tram in the Queens Borough of New York City use protective masks to cross the East River.
The smoke entered Europe via the jet stream, a powerful wind current in the upper atmosphere. This suggests that, unlike the Northeast US a few weeks ago, the smoke won’t significantly worsen the quality of the surface air.
While the smoke is high in the atmosphere, it could result in some striking sunrises and sunsets over the next few days, according to a tweet from the UK’s Met Office.
For majority of this week, according to forecast models, the smoke will be present in the upper levels of the atmosphere over Europe.
As previously noted by CNN, Norway first experienced wildfire smoke at the beginning of June. Because the smoke is introduced at a high altitude, it can travel further and remain in the atmosphere for longer.
Environment Canada has issued a smoke-related air quality warning as a result of North America’s record wildfire season. On Sunday, Ottawa’s air quality was rated at 10, which is considered to be “high risk.”
Scientists anticipate that wildfire seasons will become more severe as the climate crisis worsens, particularly as global heat waves and droughts become more frequent and severe.