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Wildfires in Canada!

I'm on the NFCT with a history of lung problems, it'll probably push me off the Trail for a while. I did Old Forge - Plattsburg last week, and now I'm sitting in a roadside library in New Hampshire, where I thought I had outrun the smoke, but turns out there's a local storm system keeping it at bay for a day or two. Take what you get, though.
 
Oof, that's a rough break, MyKneesHurt! Good luck getting back on the trail!

My one trip to the Boundary Waters circa 2019 was plagued by distant wildfire smoke/haze, but wasn't bad enough to impact anything besides the view.
 
Here's a graphic of the files in Quebec. [Now I can't get it to upload accurately.) It certainly looks like a lot of good canoeing areas are burned or in danger of being burned. I had been looking at Woodland Caribou and it has burned many times in the past few years.

All my prayers to the people of Quebec and other areas that are burning. I believe Nova Scotia and Alberta are burning badly. There are also fires in Saskatchewan. Also prayers to people with compromised breathing in the smoke filled areas.
 
I'm on the NFCT with a history of lung problems, it'll probably push me off the Trail for a while. I did Old Forge - Plattsburg last week, and now I'm sitting in a roadside library in New Hampshire, where I thought I had outrun the smoke, but turns out there's a local storm system keeping it at bay for a day or two. Take what you get, though.
Stay safe
 
Here in the Upper Connecticut River Valley we were under an air quality index watch yesterday, but it was mostly confined to western Vermont west of the Green Mountains. Hasn't been all that noticeable, to me, here on the river. And has been lifted today.
 
Hopefully this trend will continue, but the sun is burning through the smoke of the last couple days pretty effectively now. The last 1/2 hour has stayed sunny in my corner of Rochester.
 
Just looked at the smoke map, and it looks like I'm in a light to moderate zone here in VT, few miles from Quebec. The smoky haze has been very obvious here for several days; surprised this level is on the light side of the effects.
 
Yesterday I planned on taking app 30 students and parents into NYC (from Queens) on a walking trip through Barnard College and Columbia University to get "college and career ready." Driving on my way to school around 6:00am I heard on the radio that "all outdoor NYC school activities are cancelled due to the poor air quality." The sky didn't look that bad and we went on Tuesday into the city to the Metropolitan Museum on Art but those are the rules I told my students. Before they arrived I kept our windows closed and put on the ac and the two air purifiers.
Then around 1:00pm I looked out the window from our third floor and the apartment building across from us was barely visible "Wow" was all I said a bit nervously, the kids didn't pay attention. About 30 minutes later once again I looked outside the window. You couldn't really see the apartment building, plus now our classroom was getting that smoky smell and not the campfire type. Kids started to put on their blue face masks to block the smell. I then proceeded to put the news on the Smartboard to show the students what was happening around our area and then the map of Canada. The principal made an announcement which probably came from the top boss that all students must wear masks when exiting the building. One boy in my class was crying because he was scared that his older brother was going to be hurt by the smoke on his way to school picking him up. My phone was getting a lot of messages from parents about early pick up and after school program questions which was tough to answer as we walked downstairs. Once we exited the building the air was clearer and I could see the base of the apartment buildings but it was a bit hectic with kids wanting to rush to their caretakers and parents taking their kids without my knowledge, worst feeling not knowing where a kid is.
I don't want to compare it to that awful 9/11 day walking kids outside to their parents but there was an eerie feeling in the air, just not certain what was happening. Our prayers to those up North for their safety.
 
Photos from Baltimore taken by my son this morning. He has not been able run the past few day due to air quality. Where I am located in north central Massachusetts it hazy but othewise not too bad this morning. The acrid smell of burning wood is not evident so far today.
IMG_5418.jpegIMG_5419.jpeg
 
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I sailed for a few hours yesterday. Visibility dropped from about three miles to one. The sun was completely obscured. It was eerie.
 
Wild fires in Canada are caused by the same things that cause them in the western US. They had a dry spring, low humidity and neglect. Wildfire smoke is a serious human health hazard, especially the particles below 10 microns in size. They stay deep in the lungs. Logging and fuel reductions can improve public health. Git loggin.
 
I sailed for a few hours yesterday. Visibility dropped from about three miles to one. The sun was completely obscured. It was eerie.
Yea, eerie. I had to use that word and it's not in my vocabulary. Like a movie when the fog covers the town. Best health and wishes to all.
 
I'm on the NFCT with a history of lung problems, it'll probably push me off the Trail for a while. I did Old Forge - Plattsburg last week, and now I'm sitting in a roadside library in New Hampshire, where I thought I had outrun the smoke, but turns out there's a local storm system keeping it at bay for a day or two. Take what you get, though.
I am on Seboomook Lake on the NFCT if you do the NW not NE Carry
Its been raining a week never above 50 and The air is clear
The ground is sodden from that low that doesnt move
No breathing issues yet
 
Same up in the mid coast area Yellowcanoe. The sun finally came out and it is beautiful and crisp and clear Maine afternoon.
Stay safe all who are affected.
Jim
 
Same up in the mid coast area Yellowcanoe. The sun finally came out and it is beautiful and crisp and clear Maine afternoon.
Stay safe all who are affected.
Jim
Poured rain starting yesterday torrents. still raining anyone traveling North Maine Woods needs 4 wheel drive a chainsaw and lots of patience . Graders cant work in mud
The forecast for the entire month is mostly wet and cool
 
Hello from west-central Alberta. Lots of fires everywhere out here. In western and northern Alberta most towns are in the middle of the boreal forest and many communities have been evacuated this year. Some communities are still not able to go home. We tend to get most of our fires early in the year - late April and early May. April tends to be dry and the snow has melted so the grass and forest get very dry. Both the Slave Lake fire and the Fort McMurray fire were in the early spring. This year we were evacuated for 3 days in early May, got some rain and were able to return home but, once again, the weather has turned hot and dry with strong winds. A fire near us has started up again and, although we are currently not threatened, the mandatory evacuation area has been expanded and the evacuation alert area has been expanded. There are supposed to be a few showers on Saturday but there is no other rain in the forecast. Hopefully we'll get some rain.
I've been using a number of sites to keep an eye on things.



and others.
 
Wildfire update: So, evacuated again. This time for 6 days (3 days the first time). We're back but with a 4 hour alert notice. This is not much fun. We're getting some rain and we're supposed to get more in the next few days so, hopefully, that will remove the threat.
The closest fire is about 1.5 k (a little less than 1 mile) from our town. The authorities are throwing many resources at it but it's still not under control. Maybe I'll get out paddling soon but we're nervous to go away for even a few hours.
 
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