Residents in Minneapolis, Michigan, St. Louis and as far down into the United States as Georgia are being told to limit their time outdoors this week thanks to a raging wildfire in Canada sending smoke across the U.S.
Sound familiar?
Most of us remember the hazy summer of 2023, when Canadian smoke gave the U.S. a dreary gray summer while 800 Canadian wildfires burned more than 40 million acres of land belonging to our neighbor to the north.
This time, the smoke is due to blazes in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where authorities said "a combination of rising temperatures, winds and low humidity has spread active fires to thousands of acres." At least 17,000 people have been forced to evacuate as of May 31, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Here in the States, the National Weather Service issued an alert saying smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to spread across the skies across much of the Great Lakes. The alert notes "smoke may dim the sun and create colorful sunrises and sunsets.
"Where smoke is the thickest and reaching the surface, reduced visibilities, and a campfire smell may be evident at times. The smoke will also create air quality issues at times, mainly for sensitive groups."
It has many wondering if we're due for a repeat of the hazy summer of 2023. You can check the status of Canadian wildfires on this dashboard.
But you should also note that Canada is expecting a warm, dry summer, which could contribute to another summer of raging wildfires. Global News Canada wrote, "Heat waves and even heat domes will be increasingly likely in July and August which will exacerbate the drought conditions already in place.
"This will also increase the risk of a very active fire season. Northern B.C. will see closer to normal precipitation and temperatures."
As it is, the premier of Manitoba Wab Kinew notes this is the largest evacuation they've seen in most people’s living memory.
“For the first time, it’s not a fire in one region, we have fires in every region. That is a sign of a changing climate that we are going to have to adapt to,” Kinew said at a press conference.