According to the US cable news network (CNN) and Agence France-Presse reported on July 15, the Canadian wildfires continue to devastate, and the area that has been destroyed this year is equivalent to the area of Iceland or Portugal. At least eight US states have issued fresh air quality alerts as another wave of hazardous smoke drifts into the country.
According to the Canadian Intersectional Bush Fire Centre, there have been 4,088 fires in Canada so far this year, with an additional 10 million hectares destroyed. So far, the area destroyed is roughly the size of Iceland or Portugal. “We found this year’s data to be worse than even our most pessimistic assumptions,” said Natural Resources Canada researcher Peter Boulanger. “We haven’t had a moment to breathe since early May.”
As the wildfires continue, unhealthy and dangerous smoke is once again entering the United States. On the 15th local time, at least eight states in the United States have announced atmosphere quality alerts. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, smoke from wildfires contains tiny particles called PM 2.5, which enter the lungs and blood when breathed in. These purifiers most often cause snorting difficulties, are comforting to the eyes and throat, and are not associated with more serious long-term health outcomes such as lung cancer. In the foreseeable future, parts of the United States will also face smoke hazards, depending on weather conditions and fire conditions in Canada.