A Week of Smoky Skies Across North America

Core point

Wildland fire activity in Canada increased in July 2026, leading to worsened air quality across parts of the U.S. and Canada. The animation tracked brown carbon emissions from the fires, which are a major component of PM 2.5 air pollution. On July 14, numerous fires had already cropped up, affecting air quality in several major cities. By July 19 and 20, storms began to clear the smoke in parts of the East, improving air quality.