As soon as the fire weather is ready for the fire to grow, they go crazy,” Wang said. “If you don’t have a lot of dry, windy and hot days, fires will be quiet and fires may not grow as big as they are this year.

Historic policies that prioritized fire suppression also have allowed fuels - dried vegetation and logs - to build up on the landscape in many areas, increasing fire potential. Modeling suggests that trend will continue and expand as the climate warms, Wang added. Wang said climate change is increasing the length of the fire season in Canadian provinces and increasing the likelihood of fire weather. “Fires are larger and more intense, and we see a lot more fires burning through the night,” which makes them more difficult to control.

“It’s not really the number, it’s mostly the size of the fires,” said Xianli Wang, a fire research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, whose work is cited in the report. So far, there have been a total of 1,147 flights delayed and 73 canceled, according to .Ĭlimate change is increasing the impact of wildfires in Canada, according to the 2019 Canada’s Changing Climate Report, the country’s national assessment of climate impacts. metro area - are all experiencing some smoke that could impact travel through the airports,” he said. so from Boston, the NY metro area, Philadelphia and the D.C. 'There are some fires in Canada that have been producing some smoke, due to the wind patterns it is now impacting the northeast of the U.S.

Samuel Ausby with the FAA Command Center said in a video shared on Twitter: “Today we’re dealing with some smoke and haze in the northeast.' Wind and haze were reported at airports in the New York City area, the Washington, D.C., metro area and Philadelphia, the FAA said Wednesday in a d aily a ir t raffic r eport. Newark Liberty International Airport tweeted that “current smoke condition may impact your travel, please check with your airline to determine the status of your flight.” The FAA said it was slowing flights to Newark. The FAA also paused flights from the Upper Midwest and East Coast bound for LaGuardia. ET, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The wildfire smoke creeping across the Northeast is affecting air travel today.ĭepartures were grounded at New York City's LaGuardia Airport “due to low visibility” until 2 p.m. 'Firefighters are stepping up, first responders are stepping up in harrowing situations to save their fellow citizens,' Trudeau said Wednesday.īlair said there have been more than 2,200 wildfires across Canada this year, which have burned about 3.8 million hectares, or about 9.4 million acres. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed firefighters in Nova Scotia as heroes after they went into a burning community to rescue an elderly man who had been unaware of the fire threat. Hundreds of members of the armed forces have also been deployed to assist in firefighting and other response efforts, officials said. 'It’s all hands on deck, and it’s around the clock,' Blair said. There were 414 wildfires burning Wednesday, “239 of which are determined to be out of control,” Bill Blair, Canada’s minister of emergency preparedness, said at a news conference.Īn estimated 20,183 people remained evacuated from their communities, Blair said, adding that all parts of the government were working together. More than 20,000 people in Canada remained displaced from their homes Wednesday as hundreds of wildfires burned across the country, officials said.

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