The Worst Air Pollution the US and Canada has Seen in Recent History: What We Can Gain from the Canadian Wildfires
Source: NBCNews; Angela Weiss / AFP - Getty Images
Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.
-Charles Dudley Warner
On Tuesday, June 6th, nearly one third of the entire population of the United States - 100 million people - witnessed the sky turn a hazy yellow. Phones lit up with what seemed like dozens of nonstop alerts about air quality updates, and people were advised to keep their windows closed and remain indoors. Many had no option but to wear masks again, after almost a year of having no mask mandate. The situation appeared bleak. Smoke from wildfires in various parts of Canada had been drifting into the U.S. since the previous month, not posing a threat at first. However, the situation quickly intensified with recent fires in Quebec. Syracuse, NY, Bethlehem, PA, and other cities were showing Air Quality Indices (AQI) over 340, unhealthy for all groups. Pinnacle State Park in New York registered an AQI of 460. To put those numbers into perspective, the maximum AQI is 500. According to the New York Post, New York City experienced its worst-ever air quality in history and the worst in the world, surpassing even the levels seen after 9/11.
The Most Recent Event
In May 2023, wildfires broke out in the provinces of Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. Although the extent of these fires was not known yet, Canada and the United States have begun to see unusual and alarming effects of this year’s wildfire season. In some parts of Alberta, temperatures were reported to be 7°C (4°F) higher than the average for May. As of Wednesday, June 7th, three communities in Quebec were evacuated. That afternoon, according to Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair,Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair reported 9.4 million acres were burned in almost 2,300 fires, burning an area nearly the size of Belgium. The fires have collectively burned more than 3.3 million hectares of land across the country; this new amount is around 12 times more than the average over the last ten years.
A screenshot of a radar-based analysis taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing the near-surface smoke over the U.S. Source: NBCNews
Other countries quickly jumped in to help, dispatching approximately 1,100 firefighters from the US and France, and some even came from as far as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Environmental health expert Dr. Jack Caravanos from New York University has raised concerns about the air quality in NYC. He recommended that residents, especially those who are vulnerable, should take extra precautions such as avoiding outdoor activities like walking to work or jogging. Additionally, individuals with respiratory conditions were advised to stay at home to minimize any potential health risks.
The History of Wildfires in Canada
Wildfires have long been a natural occurrence in Canada, shaping the country's landscape. However, recent years have seen an increase in the size, damage, and frequency of wildfires, affecting Canada and its surroundings. Professor Robert Scheller identifies these events as "hot droughts" caused by heightened drought and heat wave probabilities. Rising temperatures lead to drier soil and fuels, exacerbating the situation. Canadian forests, which cover over 50% of the nation's land area, are now at a heightened risk due to climate change. Each year, millions of hectares are affected by wildfires, with projections indicating a further increase in the future. These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to address the escalating wildfire threat and prioritize the interplay between climate change, effective fire management, and forest preservation in Canada.
How Much of This Wildfire is Caused by Humans?
With climate change progressively intensifying, extreme weather events are expected to become a normality for much of the world. In North America specifically, rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and changing rain patterns are increasing the likelihood of wildfires in the area, causing “historic levels” of destruction throughout the continent.
Wildfires are typically triggered by lightning or human activity, such as unsupervised campfires, burning cigarettes, or controlled fires getting out of hand. Because of the ideal conditions for wildfires to start - hot and dry conditions - wildfire season was always expected to occur during the summer until recently, with more intense high-pressure zones and droughts.
Health Effects of Wildfires on Humans
Forest fire smoke not only causes discomfort but also leads to increased emergency room visits, hospitalizations for breathing problems, and ongoing treatments for conditions like asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Exposure to elevated levels of fine particles in the air can worsen these symptoms and aggravate heart or lung diseases. Studies on animals, such as infant rhesus monkeys exposed to wildfire smoke, have shown adverse effects like inflammation, altered behavior, and memory impairment. Extreme heat and wildfires impact everyone's health, but marginalized populations face higher risks due to social inequities. Prolonged exposure to fine particulates can cause various health issues, particularly affecting vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with existing heart and lung conditions. Poor air quality from fires has also been linked to cardiovascular diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.
What we do know in the meantime is that extreme heat and wildfire events like these have health implications for everyone, but minority and low-income populations are disproportionately at risk. Indigenous peoples in Canada are already at greater risk for numerous chronic respiratory diseases, as well as other non-communicable diseases and hospitalization, compared to the general population.
Prolonged exposure to fine particulates in the air is proven harmful by the CDC. It can lead to eye irritation, throat and sinus discomfort, breathing issues, increased respiratory vulnerability like coughing and even nausea and headaches. It also causes more concern for children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with preexisting heart and lung conditions. Other studies have shown links between poor air quality from fires and cardiovascular disease, including strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
Protective Measures and Recommendations for Air Quality Management
Experts recommend to “put off that yard work and outdoor exercise,” and avoid strenuous activity. If going outside is necessary, wearing a N95 mask is a great preventative measure to ensure you stay as protected as possible. Keeping your doors, windows and fireplaces shut, as well as keeping the air conditioning on a filter/recirculation setting is important to ensure that PM does not make its way inside your home. During this time, many individuals have decided to invest in an air purifier, especially those with an HVAC system.
The Future of Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
As climate change brings about extreme and unpredictable conditions, experts are constantly developing strategies to adapt, mitigate, and handle crises. When it comes to wildfires, professionals have honed their skills through years of experience. Emergency management teams, such as those in British Columbia, have improved their coordination in responding to wildfires due to the lessons learned from past events. These teams have had "a lot of practice" in refining their wildfire response techniques.
Looking ahead at the future of these wildfire catastrophes, experts like fire researcher Mike Flannigan explains his visions for the future as “smoky.” His work shows that climate change will likely worsen all three ingredients of wildfires – fuel, ignition, and weather – across most of Canada, meaning global warming will be a “triple threat” to our forests. In order to alleviate the strains of the future, our work will consist of consequences like fire bans, closures and education on the importance of attentiveness and mindfulness towards our actions in our interactions with the environment.
Based on our current situation, our past experiences, and the events that occurred in recent weeks, it is important that we recall the spiral effect of extreme weather events while working together as a large community to harvest communication skills. Keeping our positive progress in mind, there is always room for improvement while we implement more understanding for each other and our planet.
