To our Canadian forum members...

[Rachel Rugelach]

I've been hearing a lot in the news about the out-of-control fires in Canada. We're seeing the effects of this disaster where I live, and this picture of the sky over eastern Long Island was taken today (right outside my house). We can actually smell the smoke where I am, and the air quality index is in the danger zone.

To any Canadians on these forums, please be safe and be well.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Our capital city, Ottawa, is experiencing very dangerous air quality, and my home, Toronto, only so-so today, is set to be much worse tomorrow. At 75, I find these times just a tad unnerving.

However, I am sorry that so many of our American neighbours (as I've heard, nearing 90 million) are suffering as well. You all try and stay safe and well, too. N95 masks -- this time, hopefully -- will help!

And let's all of us not forget that we should be paying much, much more attention to climate change than we have been. If we don't change our trajectory, these things are only going to get worse for all of us.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Our capital city, Ottawa, is experiencing very dangerous air quality, and my home, Toronto, only so-so today, is set to be much worse tomorrow. At 75, I find these times just a tad unnerving.

However, I am sorry that so many of our American neighbours (as I've heard, nearing 90 million) are suffering as well. You all try and stay safe and well, too. N95 masks -- this time, hopefully -- will help!

And let's all of us not forget that we should be paying much, much more attention to climate change than we have been. If we don't change our trajectory, these things are only going to get worse for all of us.

Thank you for your kind words for your U.S. neighbors, even as you're enduring the worst of it up there in Canada.

I absolutely believe that we should all be paying much more attention to climate change. Due to the smoke covering the sky, this is also the coldest month of June that I've ever experienced. The temperature has actually been in the 60s (Fahrenheit) where I am. I can only imagine what a nuclear winter might be like, and maybe these fires are our wake-up call.

 

[Ashoka]

However, I am sorry that so many of our American neighbours (as I've heard, nearing 90 million) are suffering as well. You all try and stay safe and well, too. N95 masks -- this time, hopefully -- will help!

We are currently in the yellow right now. My cousin in New York is in the red, and keeps posting pics on facebook of the sky. It's scary. Praying and sending positive vibes. <3

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

I'd mentioned that the temperature is abnormally cold here on Long Island, due to the wildfires in Canada. So the smoke has changed our climate, but it appears to have done the opposite of the greenhouse effect that is warming our planet. I don't know if anyone else here was curious about these effects on climate change, and how this could be. I was curious, so I did some online searching and learned something new today.

"So, fire aerosols have a mixed effect. They can cool the atmosphere at high altitudes, or warm the air — and even melt ice — at Earth’s surface. This dual effect is why no one would suggest that fires are a good way to compensate for global warming. In fact, scientists like Jiang note, any cooling probably takes place only in the region where the fires occur, not widely across the globe... It’s just a weird irony that the warming climate that can foster wildfires may undergo a temporary cooling when catastrophic wildfires do erupt. As the planet warms and new fires flare up, scientists will continue to explore the big impact of tiny fire aerosols that temporarily occupy our atmosphere."

The entire article at Science News Explores was fascinating, and here's the link for anyone who wants to read more about this:

Can wildfires cool the climate?

Severe wildfires are becoming more common. Science is showing that the tiny particles they release into the air can alter Earth’s temperature — sometimes cooling it.

www.snexplores.org

Knowing this probably won't make anybody feel better about what's happening. But, if anybody says to you that climate change is a hoax because the wildfire smoke from Canada has dropped the temperature in the nearby regions instead of making things warmer in these regions, this explains the how and why of it.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Where I live in western PA, we're at 101 AQI, which is in the orange. The surrounding area is ranging from 77 to 141.

A bit more about AQI from the EPA...

 

[Debater Slayer]

I echo the thoughts and sentiments in the OP and also extend them to American members who are affected by the resulting pollution.

 

[Father Heathen]

We've gotten some slight smog and air quality advisory from it here as well (coastal Virginia.)

 

[Revoltingest]

We're in the red here in Revoltistan (110 AQI per Acuweather).
I'll use an N95 mask outside...easy cuz of cool weather.
I'm heading east in a few days, so I'll need the mask even more.
(Map shows AQI ranges from 200 to 400.)

Daughter said they even saw it above
400 AQI recently....extremely hazardous.
(The index maximum is 500.)
Now it's down around 200.

 

[pearl]

In central Massachusetts we have constant haze, can smell the smoke, and are advised to ware masks again.

 

[exchemist]

I'd mentioned that the temperature is abnormally cold here on Long Island, due to the wildfires in Canada. So the smoke has changed our climate, but it appears to have done the opposite of the greenhouse effect that is warming our planet. I don't know if anyone else here was curious about these effects on climate change, and how this could be. I was curious, so I did some online searching and learned something new today.

"So, fire aerosols have a mixed effect. They can cool the atmosphere at high altitudes, or warm the air — and even melt ice — at Earth’s surface. This dual effect is why no one would suggest that fires are a good way to compensate for global warming. In fact, scientists like Jiang note, any cooling probably takes place only in the region where the fires occur, not widely across the globe... It’s just a weird irony that the warming climate that can foster wildfires may undergo a temporary cooling when catastrophic wildfires do erupt. As the planet warms and new fires flare up, scientists will continue to explore the big impact of tiny fire aerosols that temporarily occupy our atmosphere."

The entire article at Science News Explores was fascinating, and here's the link for anyone who wants to read more about this:

Can wildfires cool the climate?

Severe wildfires are becoming more common. Science is showing that the tiny particles they release into the air can alter Earth’s temperature — sometimes cooling it.

www.snexplores.org

Knowing this probably won't make anybody feel better about what's happening. But, if anybody says to you that climate change is a hoax because the wildfire smoke from Canada has dropped the temperature in the nearby regions instead of making things warmer in these regions, this explains the how and why of it.

This is just one example illustrating why one should not confuse the weather (short-term, local effects) with the climate. (Climate change deniers love to try this. )

 

[Debater Slayer]

This is just one example illustrating why one should not confuse the weather (short-term, local effects) with the climate. (Climate change deniers love to try this. )

That's part of why I've made sure to use the term "climate change" and avoid "global warming" in discussions about the subject. A lot of climate-change deniers focus on the semantics of "global warming" by bringing up things like "very cold winters" instead of addressing the scientific evidence at hand.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Where I live in western PA, we're at 101 AQI, which is in the orange. The surrounding area is ranging from 77 to 141.

A bit more about AQI from the EPA...

The Air Quality Index for me today is 182 (eastern Long Island, New York), which is up from yesterday and definitely in the red/unhealthy zone. This morning the temperature was 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now it's gotten a little warmer and is 67 degrees F. We have never (in my memory, at least) experienced such cold in the first week of June. Usually by May we turn on our air-conditioners.

 

[Colt]

Lots of smoke in central VA. Smells more like burning rubber or plastics?

 

[SalixIncendium]

The Air Quality Index for me today is 182, which is up from yesterday and definitely in the red/unhealthy zone. This morning the temperature was 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now it's gotten a little warmer and is 67 degrees F. We have never (in my memory, at least) experienced such cold in the first week of June. Usually by May we turn on our air-conditioners.

The eastern part of the US is under the back side of a low pressure system which is dragging cool air down from Canada and with it the smoke from the fires.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

It's good to see people here posting what they're experiencing where they live right now. It keeps us informed and at least serves as a check-in so we know you're okay. I wasn't on these forums when the West Coast U.S. wildfires were going, and I can only imagine what those of you living over there have gone through. I've heard about the wildfires in Australia, and that's scary, too.

The "likes" I'm giving you don't mean I like what's happening where you are -- I just like hearing from you. To everyone (especially those nearest the fires), be well and be safe.

 

[Mock Turtle]

You all have my sympathy, given I can remember the smog that infected London for quite a while in my youth. Not nice.

 

[Colt]

 

[SkepticThinker]

Our capital city, Ottawa, is experiencing very dangerous air quality, and my home, Toronto, only so-so today, is set to be much worse tomorrow. At 75, I find these times just a tad unnerving.

However, I am sorry that so many of our American neighbours (as I've heard, nearing 90 million) are suffering as well. You all try and stay safe and well, too. N95 masks -- this time, hopefully -- will help!

And let's all of us not forget that we should be paying much, much more attention to climate change than we have been. If we don't change our trajectory, these things are only going to get worse for all of us.

Crap, I have to go to Toronto tonight.

I went outside at lunchtime yesterday and I could not believe the amount of smoke that was in the air, and everything was all yellowy. I couldn't even keep my eyes open, they were burning so badly. People here have started wearing masks again. This is not good.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Crap, I have to go to Toronto tonight.

I went outside at lunchtime yesterday and I could not believe the amount of smoke that was in the air, and everything was all yellowy. I couldn't even keep my eyes open, they were burning so badly. People here have started wearing masks again. This is not good.

It's not too bad right now, though noticeable. Air quality is about 5, expected to go up to 7 later, however. There's a breeze, which helps.