How the 2023 Canadian Wildfires Highlight the Urgent Need for Climate Action
What happened in Canada?
During June of 2023, New York City and New Jersey witnessed a dramatic transformation in their skies, now colored with a dangerous orange hue. This was the result of smoke drifting from Canadian wildfires near Fort Nelson, where the borders of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and Alberta converge. These fires, which raged until mid-August, scorched an astonishing 802,575 hectares and detrimentally affected air quality across numerous bordering cities.
While Canada is already familiar with wildfire seasons, it now faces an escalating threat due to global warming. A study has highlighted that the "cumulative severity" of Eastern Canada's 2023 fire season was about 50% more intense due to climate change. This year’s fires in Canada were unprecedented, covering over 15 million hectares (37 million acres), doubling previous records for burned area and carbon emissions. Remarkably, about 4% of Canada’s total forest area was consumed by these fires, with more than 1,000 still active and two-thirds classified as uncontrollable.
The connection between these extreme wildfires and climate change is undeniable. According to recent research, human-caused climate change has made such intense and dry conditions at least twice as likely, and 20% more intense. The 2023 wildfires in Canada started earlier than usual, in May, and were the most severe in the nation’s recorded history. The impact was not just local; smoke plumes reached as far as the United States, causing major air quality issues in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.
The study investigating these wildfires utilized various metrics like the "fire weather index" and "daily severity rating" to gauge the intensity and difficulty of managing these fires. The findings are alarming: the 2023 fire season in Canada is now considered a moderately extreme event, expected to occur every 20-25 years in today’s climate. However, if global warming persists, the likelihood of such severe wildfire seasons could increase sevenfold.
Attribution science, which seeks to identify the role of climate change in extreme weather events, played a key role in this study. The researchers compared current conditions to a hypothetical world without human-induced climate change, revealing a stark contrast in the frequency and intensity of such events. Dr. Frederieke Otto, a co-author of the study, emphasized the conservative nature of these findings, suggesting that the impact of climate change on Canada’s wildfires might be even greater than reported.
Wildfire impact on NYC
As for the wildfire smoke spread, citizens in New York, New Jersey, and neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Connecticut were heavily impacted by particulate matter from soot, a major pollutant included in wildfire smoke spread. On June 7th, 2023, the average New York citizen was exposed to 27.5 micrograms per cubic meter of small particulate matter, known as PM2.5. This level of pollution, driven by forest fires in Canada, marked the worst day of average exposure to such pollution in the US since records began in 2006.
The situation was so dire that environmental scientist Marshall Burke from Stanford University described it as "the worst by far" and a "historic event." The smoke caused the sky in New York to transition from a milky white to a dystopian orange, prompting schools and playgrounds to halt outdoor activities and people to don masks, reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic. The particulate matter levels in New York soared to around 195 micrograms, more than five times above the national air quality standard.
This unprecedented pollution level posed significant risks, especially to vulnerable groups like the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Experts like Burke anticipated an increase in respiratory hospitalizations, pre-term births, and mortalities. The severity of the situation was compounded by the fact that even indoor environments offered limited protection, with air monitors in Manhattan showing indoor levels exceeding 100 micrograms of particulate matter.
Stanford's research, which has been tracking wildfire smoke levels since 2006, indicates a worrying trend. The growth in both population density and the severity of wildfires, fueled by the climate crisis, suggests that more people were exposed to toxic wildfire smoke on this particular Wednesday than on any previous recorded occasion.
In response to the crisis, New York City health officials issued a series of safety measures, including the use of high-quality masks like N95s or KN95s, keeping windows closed, using air purifiers, and adjusting air conditioners to prevent outdoor air from entering homes. Francesca Dominici, an air pollution and climate expert at Harvard University, advised against outdoor exercise and warned of an impending surge in hospital-related cardiovascular and respiratory issues due to the smoke.
This situation starkly illustrates how climate change is impacting daily life far beyond the melting of glaciers and the plight of polar bears. It’s affecting air quality to the extent that it's becoming increasingly difficult to breathe clean air. As Dominici highlighted, the ongoing crisis is a strong message from nature, urging immediate action on climate change.
The figure below denotesPM2.5 averages across 5 boroughs in NYC from summer months (June, July, August) before and after 2023 Canada wildfire. The average before Canadian wildfire≈7.2μg/m3, average during wildfire≈92.5μg/m3 (net contribution≈85.3μg/m3, 1184.05% increase, and PM2.5 average after Canadian wildfire≈8.0μg/m3, a 11.3053% increase from original average value, which shows imperative need for early safety methods.
Overall, these events are not isolated incidents but rather indicators of a broader, global environmental crisis. As wildfires become more frequent and intense, communities far beyond the immediate vicinity of the fires are experiencing adverse health effects, environmental damage, and a deteriorating quality of life. This situation demands a swift and coordinated response from policymakers, scientists, and communities worldwide. It calls for significant efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in sustainable land management, and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
Moreover, the situation underscores the importance of individual and community-level actions, such as staying informed about air quality, using air purifiers, and wearing protective masks during episodes of poor air quality. It also highlights the need for increased public awareness and education about the health risks associated with air pollution and the broader implications of climate change.
In conclusion, the 2023 Canadian wildfires and their aftermath are a clarion call for immediate and decisive action on climate change. They remind us that the consequences of inaction are not just abstract future scenarios but present realities affecting millions of people. As we face these challenges, it is imperative that we come together as a global community to address the root causes of climate change and work towards a sustainable and resilient future.
