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Smoke from wildfires, from Canada to Europe
The fires that continue to rage in Canada are so big and strong that the smoke is reaching Europe. Upper currents blowing west to east are driving plumes of smoke toward Ireland, the UK and western Europe. These are well-known dynamics related to the mechanism of atmospheric circulation that can transport smoke from one continent to another.
Most of the smoke remains confined to high altitudes and will have little impact on air quality because the number of particles is so small that they are unlikely to pose a threat to human health. At most, the sky could take on a hazy tone, while sunrises and sunsets would be more colorful.
This situation is in no way comparable to the situation in North America where over 400 fires continue to rage; The situation between Canada and the United States is dramatic. New York was the first city in the world with the worst air quality in recent weeks. The 2023 wildfire season in Canada could be the worst ever. So far, 7.2 million hectares of land have burned, up from 7.1 million in 1995 in what is believed to be the largest wildfire season in history.
This is the result of a blockade anticyclone that has been going on since May and that continues to result in dry and very hot conditions, ideal conditions for the fires to spread. Some areas of Canada have been experiencing drought since 2020. Science agrees on this Climate change makes extreme weather more likely such as heat and drought that encourage fires. MContaining the effects of fires is therefore a priority.
Blocked weather conditions contribute to dry weather in Canada