13 Jun Smoke from Canadian wildfires cloaks eastern US with haze
Wildfires continue to ravage Canada causing a thick haze to roll through Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden called the grey choking hazard a ‘stark reminder’ of climate change.
Many state residents wear masks to protect their health, mirroring the response to smog in cities in South Asia and China.
Outdoor events are being cancelled, such as a Washington outdoor pride march. Zoos are being closed and the entire city is moving slower to compensate for the lack of visibility.
Last week, on our sister website, we followed South African and Middle Eastern Firefighters sent overseas to Canada to help combat the growing wildfires.
Due to the combined efforts of fire response teams from all backgrounds, conditions are beginning to turn around as the wildfires are pushed further back, however, conditions aren’t expected to normalize in Washington, until the following weeks.
“This is the climate crisis, here and now, causing dangerous air pollution and threatening the health of millions of people,” said May Boeve, Chief Executive of 350. org.
Climate change is a shared problem for all countries in the world, regions around the Middle East have seen an increase in wildfires, mirroring what’s happening in Canada.
Fire teams need to be ready to deal with the increased heat in the coming years and the inevitable fires as a result.