# 2023 Wildfire Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272 "2023-05-19T13:36:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/1 "2023-05-19T13:36:09Z")
Looks like Canada got the jump on the US as far as launching fire season ☹ . > **[Wildfires burn millions of acres in Canada, send oil prices higher](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/17/wildfires-burn-millions-of-acres-in-canada-send-oil-prices-higher.html)** > > The wildfires have burned about 478,000 hectares, or 1,800 square miles, across Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan as of Monday. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/2 "2023-05-19T13:40:44Z")
That smoke hit my area yesterday. Nothing like getting over 100 AQI in May. We got a reprieve last year, and I thought with the snow load we would get another this year, but it’s not looking that way. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/3 "2023-05-19T14:44:58Z")
How far did the smoke spread? I was communication with someone in Northwest Iowa yesterday who was complaining about it–and it quite surprised me that it would spread that far. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/4 "2023-05-19T14:57:52Z")
Sadly, long ways. Here is a good forecast map…it’s still raging and smoke will continue to spread. [https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/](https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/5 "2023-05-19T21:32:49Z")
I’m in coastal Massachusetts and we’ve been getting a pale overcast day after day from the smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/6 "2023-05-20T02:09:55Z")
I woke up around 3 am Wednesday by the smell of the smoke. By morning, our local alert system was warning on our phones that it was dangerous to be outside, or work outside, withouT taking precautions like wearing a mask and regular hydration. Posting from Regina, which is quite a ways from the fires. ---
**Author:** ![superwombat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superwombat/32/16616_2.png) [@superwombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superwombat)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/7 "2023-05-20T02:49:03Z")
It has been quite smoky in the Edmonton area. Much, much worse north, west and northwest of us. And it’s forecasted to get worse in the coming weeks. Far higher fire numbers than usual, near communities, and the majority caused by human action. Wishing the best for all the evacuees affected. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/8 "2023-05-21T01:45:57Z")
The air quality in NW Minnesota was pretty bad from it. We had the smoke down in the Twin Cities on Wednesday and Thursday. Rain on Thursday washed the particles away and we’ve been clear since. But I think it will come back. It often does, just due to prevailing wind direction. However, we didn’t smell it this far south. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/9 "2023-05-29T17:38:55Z")
> **[Insurance giant halts sale of new home policies in California due to wildfires](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/27/state-farm-home-insurance-california-wildfires)** > > State Farm also cites inflation of construction costs in statement which comes after increasing wildfires in state ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/10 "2023-05-30T18:23:40Z")
> **[Wildfires in Nova Scotia are ‘out of control’ and forcing 16,000 people from...](https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/nova-scotia-wildfires-are-out-of-control-force-16000-people-from-homes/1534112)** > > Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the wildfires, which span more than 25,000 acres, “incredibly serious” amid record-breaking heat in the eastern provinces. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/11 "2023-05-30T22:26:16Z")
And California seems to be getting fire season underway. Small one according to a different link, but that may be a bit obsolete. I doubt evacuations happen for only 2 or 3 acres. > **[Sicard Fire sparks in Yuba County, evacuation order issued](https://www.kcra.com/article/yuba-county-wildfire-tuesday/44043957)** > > Authorities have issued an evacuation order for a wildfire burning in Yuba County on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/12 "2023-06-01T17:29:25Z")
[This](https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2023/5/30/sicard-fire) is Cal Fire’s page on the Sicard fire. Right now it’s still only 13 acres and is 80% contained. I guess the evacuation order was because it started close to dwellings. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/13 "2023-06-07T12:43:28Z")
Wildfire smoke has been making Manhattan look more like Los Angeles. > **[New York City's air pollution among the world's worst as Canada wildfire...](https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/06/us/new-york-air-pollution-canada-wildfires-climate/index.html)** > > New York City topped the list of the world’s worst air pollution for parts of Tuesday as harmful smoke wafted south from more than a hundred wildfires burning in Quebec. Down here in Northern Virginia, my eyes started burning after I opened the balcony door this morning so I closed everything and turned the A/C back on. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/14 "2023-06-07T13:07:39Z")
Smoke all over New England from the Nova Scotia fires. 911 lines here in Connecticut were getting overwhelmed. Fire marshals are telling people not to call 911 if they smell smoke – they should only call if they actually see flames. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/15 "2023-06-07T14:46:52Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Fire marshals are telling people not to call 911 if they smell smoke Wow. A lot of years we now have “smoke season”. Guess it must be rare in CT. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/16 "2023-06-07T15:32:55Z")
Lots of smoke here in upstate NY. By the weather app, it should be a bright sunny day. It’s just not. Looks like a foggy day by the seaside. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/17 "2023-06-07T15:51:55Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Down here in Northern Virginia, my eyes started burning after I opened the balcony door this morning so I closed everything and turned the A/C back on. I’m in Northern Virginia, too, and just noticed it this morning: it’s hazy, but mostly I can smell it in the air. Bleh. Happily, I have functioning a/c, nowhere to go, and no plans to be outside other than short trips to the back yard with the dog. My dad lives in Baltimore, ~50 miles north of me, and reported a lot of haze/smoke in his area yesterday afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/18 "2023-06-07T18:39:08Z")
I’m in southeastern Connecticut.Today and tonight’s weather forecast, per the NWS: “Widespread haze. Areas of smoke.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/19 "2023-06-07T22:10:40Z")
I’ll copy this US EPA cite from a recent post in another smoke thread: **[Fire and Smoke Map (airnow.gov)](https://fire.airnow.gov/)** You can get more detailed local air quality info from their home page. As usual, click the logo at upper left to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272/20 "2023-06-07T22:21:19Z")
In British Columbia more forest has burned this year already than burned in all 2022…and it is only June 7! > **[Compare the size of the Donnie Creek wildfire to other historic blazes and...](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfire-wrap-jun-6-1.6866693)** > > Hot weather will continue to challenge firefighters in B.C. this week, as statistics released Monday confirmed that the 2023 wildfire season has already broken some records. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2023-wildfire-thread/984272.md?page=2)