Wildfires are raging across Canada as “zombie” wildfires have burst to life and are mingling with new ones that ignite each day. The blaze has prompted thousands of evacuation orders and alerts in several towns in British Columbia and Alberta, and have contributed to air quality issues in parts of the US.
This year’s fire season could rival the record-shattering season of last year, Canadian fire officials warned. The Canadian interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) found more than 130 wildfires are raging across Canada. The center also reported that more than 1,000 wildfires have burned about 379,000 hectares of land so far this year.
Reports say “zombie fires” or “holdover fires” are contributing to the unprecedented blazes, however it’s unclear how many of the wildfires are caused by this phenomenon. The deep root systems in Canada’s forests can keep fires smoldering throughout winter which then re-spark in the springtime when heat and winds hit the region.
Authorities add that drought conditions and high winds are whipping up the fires as well. Ben Boghean, a fire behavior specialist with the British Columbia Wildfire Service, said the northeastern region of British Columbia “has experienced multiple years of drought, with a below-normal snowpack this past winter”.
The fires have had an effect on air quality in several Canadian provinces as well as a few states in the US. Kansas City, Missouri; Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; and Des Moines are US cities that have fallen under Code Orange conditions. Code Orange means the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, requiring some to reduce prolonged exertion outdoors.
According to a report from the Washington Post, the air quality in Kansas City, Kansas is the worst of any city in the US.
Last year, Canada experienced a record-breaking wildfire season that funneled smoke into the US over the course of the summer before it eventually spread to Eastern cities. But reports suggest that the smoke from this week’s fires will linger over central states for a couple of days before dispersing.