Written by: Aubree Amback / Opinion editor and Landon Wildman / Staff writer
Across the eastern part of the United States, people noticed the sky looking off for multiple days. The sun looked orange, the air smelled smoky and everything seemed slightly hazy. Straight Arrow News reported that this came from hundreds of wildfires burning across Ontario and British Columbia. With so many fires happening at once, the smoke traveled far beyond Canada and drifted into states that normally never deal with anything like this.
The smoke didn’t just change how the sky looked, it made the air unhealthy. Straight Arrow News said millions of people had to wear masks outside because air quality dropped fast. Chicago and New York were two of the cities that were hit the hardest. Both already deal with regular pollution, so adding wildfire smoke made the air even worse. Some people said it felt like the whole city was sitting under a giant layer of haze.
“Indiana might have more exposure at this point. People who already have respiratory issues and/or elderly would be the most affected by this,” Earth and space science teacher Antranik Askander said.
From the Great Lakes to New England, officials issued hazardous air quality warnings. That meant the air wasn’t safe for anyone, even people without health issues. Visibility also dropped, so things looked faded or blurry in the distance.
Straight Arrow News mentioned that in some areas, buildings that were normally easy to see basically disappeared behind the smoke. It wasn’t fog, it was thick wildfire smoke blocking sunlight and making everything look washed out.
Straight Arrow News also reported on a pilot near Thunder Bay, Ontario, who thought he was flying toward a storm cloud. It turned out to be a massive plume of smoke from the fires. Other pilots said they were getting ash buildup on their planes, which shows how intense the smoke was even at higher altitudes. Pilots deal with storms all the time, but flying through wildfire smoke is a completely different situation.
Health officials warned that the smoke was especially risky for kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions. Straight Arrow News said people were encouraged to stay indoors until the smoke moved out. Schools cancelled outdoor activities and sports teams had to move practices inside because breathing the smoky air for too long could cause coughing, headaches or other problems.
Ground News added another detail that explains why the smoke lasted so long. Scientists found that a large amount of the smoke was coming from underground, not just burning trees. Peat, which is a material made by dead plant decay and soil, was catching fire, and when peat burns, it releases thicker and longer lasting smoke.
“I am unsure what actually sparked it, but it could have been a bolt of lightning, long term heat exposure, a camper, arson, etc. Once these fires start spreading, you have to be diligent about getting them put out because they will grow quickly,” Askander said.
Ground News explained that climate change is drying out the ground, which makes these underground fires easier to start and harder to put out. That helped the smoke spread farther and stick around longer than usual.
