Ontario Wildfires Send Smoke Across North America

Why it matters locally: Smoke from large-scale wildfires, even those a continent away, can affect air quality in Washington, potentially impacting public health advisories issued by agencies like the Seattle Fire Department or Spokane County Fire District Number 4.

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Wildfires burning in Ontario have generated smoke plumes that have traveled across large areas of North America, impacting air quality in cities across Canada and the United States. Investigators have utilized satellite data to track the movement of these smoke masses. The data showed smoke originating from Ontario's wildfires spreading hundreds of miles from their source. Cities in both Canadian and American regions have reported haze and reduced air quality when the smoke plumes migrated overhead. Residents in these affected areas have observed visible smoke and experienced the associated atmospheric conditions.