As you might know, Canada is experiencing wildfires, but what you might not know is that these are the most destructive wildfires on record. With hundreds of fires burning coast to coast and sending massive clouds of smoke into the atmosphere, this smoke does not only concern Canada as it has traveled south into the United States. This is the reason for the hazy skies and air quality alerts across parts of the country. The cause of these wildfires is a combination of lightning strikes and climate change, which leads to unseasonably warm weather. The combination of these factors has led to dry and windy conditions, which are the perfect conditions for the fires to rapidly spread and burn across millions of acres of land. This has forced many people to evacuate their homes for fear of the fires getting too close. The large and at times uncontrollable blazes have particularly hit hard on the eastern provinces of Canada, such as Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Smoke from these fires is also traveling south into the United States. Over the last month, satellite images have captured smoke particles and thick bands of soot, showing the true extent of the air pollution that is triggering air quality alerts and recommendations for people to limit their time outside as to avoid getting sick. As North America battles with this crisis, it is essential to not forget the part that climate change has in worsening natural disasters such as wildfires. Associated with global warming, the heat and drought have made many forests much more susceptible to burning. Thus, we must take action to address climate change and prevent future disasters from happening. Remember, be prepared, be aware, be an awareness spreader.
-Kaavya Nanda