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More fires, more smoke: For the 2nd time this month, large swaths of the U.S. are being blanketed by wildfire smoke
Yahoo • • nation
Key Points:
- Smoke from ongoing wildfires in the Pacific Northwest continues to cause unhealthy air conditions across a large part of the U.S., with Oregon and Idaho still under advisories despite some improvement.
- There are 45 large uncontained fires burning in Oregon and Washington, plus over 17 in British Columbia, collectively burning more than 1.8 million acres.
- Air quality near Boise, Idaho, is among the worst in the country, with unhealthy particulate levels also affecting eastern Oregon and southern Idaho, prompting advisories to limit outdoor exposure.
- Environmental factors including a warm winter, reduced snowpack, and prolonged heat waves have contributed to the severity of this year’s wildfires, with climate change playing a significant role in these extreme conditions.
- Wildfire smoke poses serious health risks due to fine particulate matter that can penetrate lungs and bloodstream; experts recommend minimizing outdoor exposure, using N95 masks, and keeping indoor air filtered and sealed to reduce harm.
