How wildfire smoke travels thousands of miles, and how to protect yourself
Róisín Commane, an atmospheric chemist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at the Columbia Climate Institute, talks to The Weather Channel in front of the smoky New York City skyline.
More than 400 wildfires burning across Canada have triggered air quality alerts for much of the U.S. In New York City, record air pollution The city is shrouded in an ominous orange haze. Despite being thousands of miles away from the fire, many people reported smelling smoke.
Experts from the Columbia Climate Institute were widely in the news, using their expertise in meteorology, air pollution, health and disaster response to help put this unusual event into context. Below, we share some of their insights and guidance.
How dangerous is it?
“These levels are at least 10 times higher than what health guidelines indicate for exposure to particulate matter,” Dan Westerveltwho studies air pollution at climate school Lamont-Doherty Earth ObservatoryTell CNN“So we’re really seeing unprecedented levels of pollution in the New York area and across the mid-Atlantic.”
“How worried you should be has a lot to do with your own situation,” Jeff SchlegelmilchDean of the Climate Institute National Disaster Preparedness CenterTell NPRHe went on to say that poor air quality is bad for everyone, but it is especially dangerous for certain groups of people, including people with lung and heart disease, the elderly and pregnant women.
Lamont scientist Róisín Commane monitoring air quality in New York and Exceed, cautioning that air quality readings may be unreliable at very high concentrations of pollutants. “I’m not sure how many things can be measured well when the numbers are this high,” she told gothamists“But above a certain amount, it becomes toxic to humans. So if you have to breathe, it doesn’t matter if it’s 350 or 355.”
On June 7, 2023, satellite imagery captures thick smoke over the eastern United States. source: nasa
How can I protect myself and my loved ones?
Experts at the climate school emphasized general advice to stay indoors as much as possible, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid strenuous activity.
“If you’re getting an air quality red alert, now’s probably not the time to go out for a jog or a run because you’re breathing in more air, breathing in more air deeper,” Schlegelmilch told NPR.
If you can, turn on an air purifier, Westervelt recommends. If you do need to go outside, a good mask can help a lot, steve chirudThose who study air pollution at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory tell local news media.
“The benefit is that a well-fitting K95 or N95 mask can remove most of the particulate matter, which is what causes smog,” he said. “The fit is the most important thing, so even wearing a surgical mask that fits you helps, but a K95 or N95 mask works better.”
How did the smoke travel so far?
In a fascinating interview containDan Westervelt details how the heat from wildfires helps push smoke particles high into the atmosphere, where they can linger for weeks, hitching a ride with prevailing winds.
and New York TimesWestervelt added that a low-pressure system in upper New England is creating the perfect conditions for the wind to carry the smoke to the East Coast.
How long will this last?
While Canada is struggling to contain its record number of fires, smoke will continue to enter the atmosphere. The direction in which smoke travels depends largely on the weather, including wind patterns and rainfall that help clean the air.
westwirth tell bloomberg The smoke could stay in the northeast for the rest of the week before blowing out to sea. “I’m hoping things will start to look a little better as we get closer to the weekend, but the fires are still burning,” he said. Changing weather patterns could bring “a little bit of relief, but it won’t be an overnight shift. It might take a little while for all the smoke to clear.”
Smoke from wildfires in Canada darkened the skies over New York City. Photo taken on June 7 at 2pm. source: Newell Remodeling
Is climate change a factor?
In the CNN interview, Westervelt explained that it’s difficult to say for sure whether climate change caused a particular event like this wildfire outbreak. However, he added that scientists are undoubtedly already working on this question.
“What we do know is that warmer temperatures, drier conditions, more drought, less precipitation — all of these symptoms of climate change — are happening, and those things are really fueling wildfires,” Westervelt said on CNN.
In an interview with ABC7, radley horton, a climate scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, took a deeper dive into what scientists do and don’t know about how climate change affects wildfires. Watch the interview below:
Will we see more events like this in the future?
“It’s almost unprecedented,” Horton told southern Canada and the northeastern United States. ABC7But events like this may not be so rare in the future, he said: “Right now we’re seeing signs that forests in the Northeast, where we thought they were less vulnerable, are actually becoming more vulnerable to climate change.” .”
#global warming cause symptoms #wildfire To make matters worse, increasing #wildfire The frequency and amount of area burned, which is the fuel that causes more air quality problems, says @columbiaclimate @LamontEarth climate scientist @d_hotely. pass @CNNThisMorning. 📺: https://t.co/JkK0VBLiWR
— Columbia Climate School (@columbiaclimate) June 8, 2023
