This map shows the concentration of black carbon particulates – commonly called soot – over North America on July 21, 2021. The black carbon data come from the GEOS forward processing model, which assimilates data from satellite, aircraft, and ground-based observing systems. Read more about this image, which is via Joshua Stevens, using GEOS-5 data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA GSFC/ NASA Earth Observatory.
Smoke from wildfires in Canada and the western United States is blanketing North America. As of July 21, 2021, air quality alerts had been issued even in the U.S. East, and, by mid-week, even New York City was blanketed with haze from wildfire smoke. The New York Timesreported on July 21:
In recent weeks, a series of near-relentless heat waves and deepening drought linked to climate change have helped to fuel exploding wildfires. In southern Oregon, the Bootleg Fire grew so large and hot that it created its own weather, triggering lightning and releasing enormous amounts of smoke. But more than 80 large fires are currently burning across 13 American states, and many more are active across Canada.
Wildfires burning in the western U.S. as of July 22, 2021, via InciWeb.
Photos showing effects of wildfire smoke
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Saranya J captured this image of a very red sunset on July 22, 2021 from the U.S. state of Maryland. Thank you, Saranya.View at EarthSky Community Photos./ | Lorraine Boyd in Delmar, New York, captured this image on July 20, 2021. She wrote: “As phony as this looks, it is the sun as it is setting on a very hazy evening due to fires north near Canada and west of us. The sun was so vividly orange.”View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Terhune in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, captured this wildfire sunset on July 20, 2021. He said he’d “never seen one like this before.” Thank you, Michael.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Bill Reyna in Wayne, New Jersey, wrote on July 21, 2021: “Calling this one the Smoke Moon, as the moon has been rendered an unusual orange color, almost looking like an eclipse, by the smoke from the fires from the western U.S. and Canada.” Thank you, Bill.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ragini Chaturvedi in Marlboro, New Jersey, captured these images of a reddened moon on July 20, 2021. She wrote: “Last night, at dusk, in the blue hour the smog from wildfires was still covering the skies and made the waxing noon all red, as well.” Thank you, Ragini.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eric Thurber in Boise, Idaho, captured a reddened sun due to wildfire smoke on July 19, 2021: “Sunsets continue to be pretty wild as the smoke continues to roll into southwest Idaho.” Thank you, Eric.
Wildfire videos
The video below is from NOAA Satellites on July 15, 2021:
Meanwhile, earlier this week (July 19, 2021), extremely dangerous wildfire conditions were forecast in California and southern Oregon. Firefighters in both states were battling massive wildfires burning through numerous square miles, as shown in the video below:
Bottom line: Wildfire smoke is blanketing North America as of July 22, 2021. If you have an image of smoke or the effect of smoke on the sun or moon, you can submit it here.
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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