Smoke has been funneling into Wisconsin at an unprecedented level due to wildfires and weather patterns, impacting air quality and sensitive groups. Researchers argue climate change is driving extreme heat that’s fueling wildfires and degrading the air people breathe.
Hundreds of wildfires are burning across the western United States and Canada. At least 107 large fires are now burning more than 2 million acres in the U.S., according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Canada has witnessed more than 5,400 fires so far this year, far exceeding the nation’s 10-year average. The fires combined with northwest winds coming off the Northern Rockies and Canada are carrying smoke down into the region and elevating levels of fine-particle pollution.