Millions of Canadians may see smoke this week from wildfires in AB and BC

May 9 2023, 5:11 pm

Millions of Canadians may spot some haze in their area due to wildfire smoke this week from fires raging in Alberta and British Columbia.

There are 89 active wildfires burning in Alberta and 58 active wildfires burning in British Columbia.

The blazes have sparked numerous air quality alerts from Environment and Climate Change Canada in both provinces, with The Weather Network outlining that this past weekend, “southeasterly winds sent the bulk of the smoke northwest – toward northern B.C. and the far north.”

That smoke is now on the move, spreading out across the country.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada Weather Ontario, signs of the smoke from the wildfires have appeared on satellite imagery across parts of Ontario.

A real-time tracking map created by AirNow, which monitors wildfires and air quality in North America, shows the extent of the reach of smoke from the blazes.

smoke canadians

AirNow

The live-tracking map shows smoke spread out across a massive swath of Canada, even creeping down into the United States, settling in the New England states and as far south as Virginia.

state of public emergency was declared in Alberta on Saturday, May 6, after tens of thousands of Albertans were forced to flee their homes.

The Town of Drayton Valley says it is still unsafe for residents to return home due to a wildfire that has destroyed at least four homes.

Laine MitchellLaine Mitchell

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