Raging fires cast a smoky pall over Eastern Canada’s clear skies
Notice a milky haze covering up the blue skies over Ontario and Quebec this weekend?
It’s the most beautiful weekend so far this summer across much of Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada as a ridge of high pressure brings peaceful conditions to the region.
Even as bright sunshine and warm temperatures dominate conditions, the sky isn’t quite as blue as it should look. What’s the deal?
That haziness is smoke looming high in the atmosphere, blow-off from the raging fires throughout Western Canada and the western United States.
Hundreds of fires burning across North America
There are hundreds of wildfires burning throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and portions of the U.S. West Coast this weekend.
The B.C. Wildfire Service reported 386 active fires across the province as of Saturday afternoon. Alberta reported about 153 blazes to start the weekend, with dozens more burning throughout Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon.
Additionally, a very large fire in northern California is responsible for a significant portion of smoke crossing the border into Canada this weekend.
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The Park Fire near the town of Chico, California, grew to more than 140,000 hectares (348,000 acres) in size as of Saturday morning. According to CAL Fire, the Park Fire now ranks as one of the top-ten largest wildfires ever observed in California.
Lows are scooping and spreading the smoke
Prevailing winds racing west to east across the continent are dragging that smoke toward Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada this weekend.
Broad areas of low pressure over northern Canada and the central United States are enhancing the eastward transport of the smoke over the region, forcing our otherwise-clear skies to appear hazy and somewhat milky.
The good news, if there is any, is that forecasters don’t expect any air quality issues over Central or Eastern Canada as a result of the smoky skies. All the hazardous particulates carried by the smoke will remain aloft high in the atmosphere, sparing the air down here at the surface.
Header image submitted by guylaine at Lac Kénogami, Quebec.
