Episode: 7
In Canada, most of the forests in Ontario, Quebec and the western provinces are under fire. Strong winds pushed the smoke along the East Coast and into the Great Lakes region. Canadian officials say that there are more than 400 forest fires in Canada, 250 fires are out of control while 6.5 million acres have been burned so far. Wildfires in the American Northwest have filled the air with yellowish-gray smoke and warned people to stay indoors and keep windows closed. After this terrible fire in the forests of Canada, clouds of smoke spread to the atmosphere of the American city of New York and Massachusetts, as a result of which the atmosphere here turned orange. Yesterday, millions of people living on the East Coast of the United States were warned to be careful in the area due to smoke clouds from the wildfires in Canada. US officials here have advised vulnerable and elderly citizens to stay indoors, while some schools have canceled outdoor activities. Some public places have also been closed in the worst affected areas. Air Quality Index warnings have been issued for Boston, Syracuse and New York, Charlotte, North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina areas. By Wednesday morning, the weather had turned orange with wind warnings in some cities. This situation is “unhealthy for people of sensitive nature”. US authorities classify children whose lungs are still developing as susceptible. The elderly and those suffering from lung diseases are also ordered to stay indoors.
Forest fires burning in hundreds of places across the Canadian province of Quebec could be felt yesterday from the US state of North Carolina to the south and as far west as Ohio, leaving the air smoky and causing people to feel sore throats. US officials have issued air quality alerts in several areas and have warned that bad conditions will continue for several days, while flights in Canada and the US have been affected and people are forced to wear masks. Here in Springfield, the atmosphere is often orange. Few people are coming out of the houses. The streets are deserted. I am also spending most of my time at home. Yesterday evening a friend, Musa came to my lodgings and took me with him to the Connecticut River. Walked around downtown Springfield, quenched my stomach with Turkish koftas and lassi. Returned late at night. It rained this morning too. It turns out that this rain is not real but artificial rain that is falling intermittently to minimize the effects of the fires in Canada.