Will wildfire smoke linger all summer long?

(NEXSTAR) – It’s not uncommon for the US to be affected by wildfire smoke in the summer, even if the fires start in another state or country. But just one month into summer, apocalyptic smoke enveloped several states, clouded the skies, and degraded air quality. Sometimes it lasted for days at a time.

Unfortunately, this smoke wave isn’t likely to go away anytime soon.

The smoke is coming from Canada, and fires in Quebec and Ontario are having a major impact on air quality in the US More than 30,000 square miles of the country burned on record as of Wednesday. Canadian government. It’s about the size of South Carolina.

There have been 485 fires, 243 of which are out of control.

Again, it’s not uncommon for Canadian wildfire smoke to make its way into the United States, but it usually occurs in the middle of the summer, and air pollution warnings are issued for several days in many states. Not much.

“Usually a few times a summer, you see wildfire smoke coming in from Canada,” explains WSYR’s Dave Longley. “In those cases, the fires are occurring in central and western Canada, and the smoke is high-altitude, so air quality above ground is not affected.”

Longley, who has more than 30 years of experience in meteorology, said the proximity of some of the blazes that broke out this year also makes it easier for the smoke to affect the United States. He also points out that persistent northerly winds are also helping carry smoke from Canada’s wildfires.

So how long will Canada’s wildfire smoke linger in the United States?

There are multiple factors that can affect it. As Longley noted, northerly winds help carry smoke to the Midwest and Northeast.Many parts of Canada are also affected drought conditions, to produce dry fuel for fires. Rain not only eases drought, but can also help suppress fires.

Otherwise the fire is almost expected to continue burning. Many of the wildfires occur in remote parts of the country, Longley said. Forests are left to burn, as wildfires are a natural part of forests and currently have limited impact on infrastructure.

This also means that smoky skies, which have been frequent in dozens of U.S. cities so far this year, lasts until summerA cooperative fire expert from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told Nextar’s WFRV.

Some fires, like the 3,400-square-mile Donnie Creek fire in British Columbia, could continue to burn through winter, the Canadian news agency says report.

In addition to smoke from its northern neighbors, smoke from fires in the western United States often affects states across the Mississippi River. California’s experience of record snowfall and relentless rains throughout the winter and spring contributed to lower drought rates, but did not necessarily reduce wildfire risk.

The rain certainly helped restore California’s vegetation, which had suffered from the extreme drought of the past few years. The plant that is now growing now fuel the fireDr. Chris Potter, an ecologist in the Earth Sciences Division at NASA Ames Research Center, told Nexstar’s KWSB if it did occur.

“If you add vegetation to that level, you increase the risk of fire. Logically, there’s still plenty to burn,” Dr. Potter explained. “That’s kind of the downside for a wet year.”

Ultimately, it’s difficult to predict how often and for how long the United States will be affected by Canada’s wildfire smoke this year, but it’s likely to continue for some time.