Fire, Smoke lead to critical health issues
This article, by Graham Saunders, president of Environment North, was originally published in the Chronicle Journal on July 20, 2024.
The 2023 wildfire season was, by far, the worst on record for area buned in Canada. The smoke resulted in the worst air quality reading for most of Canada and the northern United States since records began in 1980.
Last year's wildfire season started early in Western Cand, feature exceptional fire befhavious across the country and persisted well into the fall season. Thousands of fires burned 175,000 square kilometres, larger in area than the Maritime provinces.
Hazy skies were routine and ground-level smoke prompted frequent special air quality statements, sometimes for multi-day smioke events. Canada had twice as many days with poor air quality compared to 20220, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
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