Canada stinks...

[TBO]

UPDATE: Air quality alert in effect through Sunday in MN

Smoke from western Canada fires can be clearly seen on moving across northern Minnesota in this satellite photo. For comparison, clouds covering much of southern Wisconsin and developing in Ontario and far Northeastern Minnesota show up much whiter than smoke on the photos. (Photo courtesy NOAA)

 

Yes, that’s smoke out there blocking the sun in the Northland.

Smoke from forest fires in western Canada has drifted across northern Minnesota this morning, enough so that it has blocked the sun in some areas making it appear cloudy outside. It almost looks like a storm is approaching Duluth even though it’s officially clear outside.

“We’e geting some calls about it. It’s about as bad as I’ve ever seen it and I’ve been here a few years,’’ said Bill Leatham, an assistant meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Duluth.

The smoke is clearly visible on satellite photographs drifting east over the region, Leatham said. The last time it was this smokey in the Northland was during the May 2016 Fort McMurray Fire in Alberta.

The smoke has spurred the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to issue an air quality alert for the northern half of the state through Sunday. The smoke may make it uncomfortable or unhealthy for people with sensitivity to air pollution as well as people doing strenuous activity outdoors.

Air quality has deteriorated into the “orange” level which means air could be unhealthy for people with breathing problems, such as asthma or COPD, as well as elderly and young people. Other people affected could be those with heart disease or high blood pressure.

It's also suggested that even healthy people limit or forego strenuous activities outdoors, such as sports or construction work, during alerts.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has banned all yard waste and brush fires this weekend so as not to add more smoke into the sky.

The province of British Columbia has declared an emergency situation because several large fires have burned across thousands of acres of forest and threaten developed areas.

In addition, much of northern Minnesota remains unusually dry, especially northwestern Minnesota, where fire danger is now in the very high category.

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Video: Smoke from western Canada fires can be clearly seen on moving across northern Minnesota in this satellite loop.
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Damn, that's HUGE!

Here's to hoping our northern neighbors get all the fires out ASAP.

Edited August 17, 2018 by TBO

[M&P15T]

Let their Queen handle the situation.

[SC Tiger]

[XSIV4S]

The bad smell is actually from Jersey, but Canada sucks so bad it is pulling it up there.?

[Walt Longmire]

"Smoke?" I wasn't there.