Smoke from Canadian Wildfires Crosses the Atlantic and Reaches Europe

As summer approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, wildfires in Canada are once again intensifying, bringing consequences that extend far beyond the country’s borders. Data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) indicates that smoke from fires in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario is traveling thousands of kilometers and has already reached Europe.

According to CAMS, an initial plume of smoke was detected crossing the Mediterranean between May 18 and 19, reaching Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. By early June, an even larger smoke cloud had crossed the Atlantic, hitting parts of northwestern Europe on June 1. Forecast models suggest that more smoke plumes will continue to move toward the continent in the coming days.

Despite the impressive nature of this phenomenon, experts explain that it is unlikely to cause significant impacts on air quality for the population. “These events usually occur in higher layers of the atmosphere, resulting in visual effects such as hazier skies and more vivid red or orange sunsets,” explains Mark Parrington, a researcher at CAMS.

Parrington also points out that, while wildfires are common in boreal forests during spring and summer, current data indicates that this season is particularly severe in central Canada. “The fact that the smoke has crossed the Atlantic and reached Europe shows the magnitude and seriousness of the fires happening in Manitoba and Saskatchewan,” he emphasizes.

And the issue isn’t limited to North America. Since April, large-scale wildfires have also been reported in Russia, especially in the regions of the Republic of Buryatia and Zabaikalsky, located east of Lake Baikal. According to CAMS, carbon emissions from these fires have already surpassed 35 megatons since early April — the highest level recorded for this period since 2018.

About The Author

Editorial

See author's posts