Even in the frantic news cycle of late, you may have seen reports of the wildfires in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
Scientists blame climate change for the increase in wildfires. Drier conditions and higher temperatures combine to make the boreal forests more flammable, and the shorter freeze in winter allows pests like bark beetles to do more damage to trees while expanding their range.
Right now, large areas of the north are under evacuation orders, but evacuating is not easy. Some communities are connected via a single highway, or are not connected by road at all. Canadian armed forces have been helping evacuate some areas by aircraft. Even if there are passable roads, there’s also a question of where to go — in a sparsely populated region, sometimes the only refuge is in cities hundreds of miles away.
We’re fortunate to be far away from the fires, but the effects are being felt here too. Smoke has been blowing in a south-east arc from the fires.
This has resulted in Montreal having the worst air quality of any city in the world today.
There’s rain predicted for Monday or Tuesday. With any luck, that will help clear the air somewhat. But for now, the recommendation is to stay indoors, run air filters, and avoid exertion.
Ugh.