Millions of Americans remain under air-quality alerts as more than 200 Canadian wildfires continue to rage, many of them out of control, NBC News reported.
What's happening?
As of June 3, a total of 212 active fires were burning across Canada, with 105 classified as "out of control," according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Fires have destroyed over 3.7 million acres of Canadian forest already this year.
Winds have carried the hazardous plumes of wildfire smoke across the border into the U.S., hitting border states like Minnesota and Michigan particularly hard, NBC News reported.
Local officials have cautioned that conditions remained at high risk for additional fires. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the National Weather Service warned against using outdoor grills or other devices that "have the potential to throw a spark and ignite a dangerous and destructive fire," per NBC News.
People were feeling the effects as far south as Charleston, South Carolina, where the National Weather Service reported a "red sunrise," according to NBC News.
Wildfire smoke consists of a complex, toxic mix of gases like carbon dioxide, airborne hydrocarbons, water vapor, and particle pollution, with particle pollution by far posing the biggest threat to public health, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"The health effects of particle pollution exposure can range from relatively minor (e.g., eye and respiratory tract irritation) to more serious health effects (e.g., exacerbation of asthma and heart failure, and premature death)," the EPA warned.
Rising global temperatures have led to drier conditions and produced a longer and more active fire season, according to The Nature Conservancy. This means not only the loss of millions of acres of forest land, but also millions of people being regularly exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution.
Why are rising global temperatures important?
While it is impossible to tie any single weather event directly to human activity, experts have established that human-made pollution is responsible for rising global temperatures.
These higher temps already are having a big impact on our lives and the way we live, from the increased length and ferocity of wildfire season to rising sea levels to more frequent and powerful storms.
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Yes — always 💯 What's being done about rising global temperatures?
As governments around the world struggle to take meaningful measures to curb planet-warming pollution, it often can feel as though the problem is insurmountable. However, there are things that we all can do to make a difference.
For example, you can cut your energy bill to practically $0 while also reducing heat-trapping pollution by installing solar panels on your home. In conjunction with a battery system, solar panels can even make your home more resilient in the event of a natural disaster or long-term blackout.
If you're interested in learning more about installing solar on your home, EnergySage allows you to compare local contractors, saving you up to $10,000 in the process.
If solar-panel ownership isn't right for you, it is now possible to lease solar panels, giving you all the same environmental benefits and energy-bill savings. For example, Palmetto's LightReach program allows you to lease solar panels with zero installation cost.
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