# How's the air you breathe today? Can you smell the smoke from the wildfires in Quebec? (June 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 7, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158 "2023-06-07T17:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/81 "2023-06-08T14:23:58Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > airtravel is canceled and i’m betting the game will be called for tonight. Wow! From ABC 6: > The FAA paused flights for approximately an hour Thursday morning from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Ohio bound for Philadelphia International Airport due to low visibility. > > By 9:40 a.m., the ground stop was lifted. It must have been way thicker in Philadelphia than here–just a 40 minute drive away. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/82 "2023-06-08T14:24:54Z")
I would wear a mask when I went to a store during pandemic but Tues evening was the very first time I wore one _outside_! Those N95 masks really work I broke the seal to scratch my nose & instantly smelled the smoke Last night’s walk was up & down every aisle in Target to avoid being outside. It was a second story store over a parking garage. Double doors on the first floor in the front right corner, then you’re inside to go up the stairs/escalator/elevator, When I got to the opposite corner end & turned around it looked hazy & when I walked back to the right side of the building there was a slight odor of smoke…through a parking garage, through double doors & then up the open space! BTW, did you know Target now sells sex toys? Tonight’s run club has been officially cxl’d, not that I was planning on going anyway. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/83 "2023-06-08T14:27:14Z")
Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe And to love you All I need is the air that I breathe Yes, to love you All I need is the air that I breathe ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/84 "2023-06-08T14:28:13Z")
phila is getting a bit more clear. we are at 270 now, and visibility is a bit better. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/85 "2023-06-08T14:41:07Z")
Jersey Bayshore dropped to **186**. I did keep my N95 mask on while I was outside. The air is pretty nasty. [It looks like by tomorrow](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/smoke-maps-canada-fires.html) we should be down to light or less. Maybe light by 6pm today. > The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a > Code Red Air Quality Action Day until midnight, then a Code Orange > Action Day for Friday. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/86 "2023-06-08T14:43:46Z")
It says air quality index is at 103, but it doesnt affect me when I go out. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/87 "2023-06-08T14:52:19Z")
As said in the other thread, there’s rain all over SE Canada right now, and for most of the next week. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/88 "2023-06-08T15:44:47Z")
Earlier Minnesota and Wisconsin had some air quality alerts, but it wasn’t as bad as the pictures I’m seeing of the east coast. Brian ---
**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 8, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/89 "2023-06-08T15:58:07Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Something is wonky about those numbers. > > This morning, Trenton is 240; yesterday evening Trenton was 346. > > Today (240) it’s a very slight haze with a distant note of campfire. > > Yesterday afternoon (346) it looked like we were on Mars, the air made throats scratchy and the fire smell smacked you in the face immediately upon stepping outdoors. > > It seems like 240 ought to be more similar to 346 than that. Two thoughts: AIUI the quoted numbers are Pm2.5. Which is only one component of the smoke. It’s the one with the most immediate health impacts, but not necessarily the one that matters most for your subjective experience of breathing and seeing. As well, the vision obscuring qualities of particulates are not linear. Twice as much stuff produces more than twice as much obscuration. Or in this case, a 1/3rd reduction in from ~360 to ~240 brings a bunch more than 1/3rd improvement in visibility. Humidity matters too. The famous term “smog” is a portmanteau of smoke + fog. The presence of smoke (or dust or car exhaust) particulates helps convert invisible water vapor into aggregated lumps of visible cloud. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/90 "2023-06-08T16:30:15Z")
I live in Texas (Dallas), and we can’t smell or see anything here, but apparently the air quality measurements are picking up particulates from the Quebec fires. But it’s not at all uncommon for seasonal burning in Mexico and Central America to affect our air quality in the spring. The Gulf Coast gets it a bit worse than we do though- I think in late April/early May it was affecting the Houston area this year. 1998 was particularly bad, as was 2006. We also occasionally get [huge Saharan dust clouds in the summe](https://www.kxan.com/weather/saharan-dust-in-texas-will-it-come-in-this-year-and-when/)r that mess up our air quality as well. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/91 "2023-06-08T16:38:38Z")
This morning I could not see the US Capitol dome from the Potomac. Right now AQ 261 and yes it smells smoky and not the good kind of smoky, around here. Very brief exposure door-car-door got me irritated airways. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/92 "2023-06-08T18:26:20Z")
Suburban Maryland. Sky is like an overcast day, with a slightly smoky hue. Smells like a really old campfire. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/93 "2023-06-08T18:38:11Z")
It rained!! – though, unfortunately, only for about five minutes, with a bit of drip before and after. AirNow says we’re down to 152; though I’m not sure that wasn’t right before the bit of rain. ---
**Author:** ![Kelby2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kelby2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby2)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/94 "2023-06-08T19:57:50Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe > And to love you > All I need is the air that I breathe > Yes, to love you > All I need is the air that I breathe I’ve referenced that song myself this spring, with the clear and sweet air we have now. We had our share of the Canada smoke briefly, and a lot of it last summer. I don’t take it for granted, now. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/95 "2023-06-08T20:31:25Z")
UPS just delivered a package to our house. It shipped from eastern Pennsylvania and it smelled of smoke. The driver said he noticed it as well. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/96 "2023-06-08T20:32:48Z")
We live half way between Toronto and Detroit. Great Lakes on all sides. We have been remarkably fortunate as the smoke is being driven south just east of us, across the lakes. My husband golfed today, and now it’s raining. Fortunate indeed. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/97 "2023-06-08T20:40:56Z")
AQ where I sit has gone down to 180 according to AirNow. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/98 "2023-06-08T20:58:49Z")
AQ here was purple this morning. My nose started bleeding not long after I got to work. It’s 159 now, and if it goes into the orange before nightfall I may venture out for a short run. I read it’s supposed to get worse again early tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/99 "2023-06-08T21:26:52Z")
Roughly the same location and description where I am. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158/100 "2023-06-08T21:46:05Z")
We went down 200 points to 169. Things are much clearer and the smell of smoke is negligible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-air-you-breathe-today-can-you-smell-the-smoke-from-the-wildfires-in-quebec-june-2023/985158.md?page=6)