'we have to learn to live with fire': how wildfires are changing canadian summers - air purification

Climate change has triggered changes in weather patterns, and wildfire experts predict the "hot, smoky future" of Canada in summer ".
The ghost of wildfire is in B. C.
Alberta and Ontario
Provinces that have been repeatedly burned by catastrophic fires in recent years.
Mike Flanagan, a field fire professor at the University of Alberta, warned that the sharp rise in temperature and climate change have pushed things to the brink and will continue to cause unprecedented wildfires.
"We cannot always rely on the experience and history we see in the fire;
He told Radio CBC's special show smoking, "We are moving into new areas . ".
Average about 2.
In Canada's annual wildfire season, 5 million hectares of land are burned each year, he said.
"This is half the area of Nova Scotia and due to our changing climate, it has doubled since its early 70 s," said Flannigan, who is also director of the Edmonton wildland fire science Western partnership.
Studies on the role of climate change in reshaping wildfires suggest that the land area consumed by wildfires will double or quadruple --again —
As the Earth warms.
According to the Canadian Bureau of Natural Resources, about 3.
Wildfire consumed 4 million hectares in 2017.
Far above the annual average.
Data from the Ministry of Commerce show that in recent years, the area covered by fire damage has steadily climbed.
In 2013, for example, about 6,300 forest fires burned four.
2 million hectares.
The following year, nearly 4.
About 6 million hectares of land were destroyed by a forest fire.
"We have to learn to coexist with fire because the fire will not disappear," said Flannigan . ".
"There will always be fuel burning, there will always be fuel burning, there will always be favorable weather.
"Climate change can harm mental health," said the psychiatrist. "2080 of the climate in these Canadian cities does not look like it is now. According to Canada's climate change report, global warming is twice as fast as the rest of the world.
The study, commissioned by the Canadian Council on environment and climate change and released last month, found that the annual average temperature on Canadian land has warmed by 1. Since 1948
High incidence in North, Prairie and North BC.
Flannigan noted that these areas are the areas most severely affected by wildfires in recent years, and that due to climate change, this may mark a longer and longer period of destruction in these areas.
The 2016 fires in Fort McMurray were the largest evacuation in Alberta's history.
More than 2,500 houses were destroyed, with a loss of $9 billion.
According to the Canadian insurance bureau, this is the most expensive natural disaster in the country's history.
How wildfire smoke can disrupt your summer campC.
With the coming of the wildfire season, firefighters recruited testers. C.
Two recent experiences.
During the continuous wildfire season, countless fires have burned large areas of the north and inland.
Why is the future wild season in Canada usually last longer from April to October, but Flannigan says it has started earlier
It started a few years ago.
Lasting than ever before.
Changing weather patterns have led to lightning that could trigger a fire --
10 to 12 percentage points per strike
Flannigan explained that the fans burn in dry and windy conditions, making it easy for them to catch.
In a string of bones
In dry summer, the air has also become better at absorbing water from plants and dead wood, which has accelerated the fire. She added that the severity of the wildfire season depends on human activity, and Natural Resources Canada reported that fires were caused by people, accounting for more than half of all fires.
Due to the lack of controlled combustion, many provinces and regions in Canada have become densely populated and it is possible to build fuel --up.
Wildfire is a key part of the ecological cycle, providing opportunities for new growth and evolution of the ecosystem.
But fierce fighting in recent years
Instead of letting them take the natural route and regenerate the ecosystem
Fire management has been stopped and tinder has left-
Dry forest floor.
Flannigan explained that the end result is a bigger and stronger fire, which will lead to a sharp rise in the disasterrelated costs.
"It's really critical because it's hard to put out and impossible to put out as the fires get more intense.
"More smoke means choking summer.
Flannigan warned that the warming trend provides worrying signs for the upcoming wildfire season and its impact on public health.
"We will see more fires in the landscape, which means more smoke.
"Wildfire is no longer a" rural problem, "he noted, noting that smoke wanders through large areas of land, affecting air quality in urban centres such as Vancouver and Toronto, Montreal and New York City. Smoke-
Last summer, in B, the sky was full of air quality problems due to forest fires. C.
Alberta and scientists are worried that toxic smoke will last longer.
Sarah Henderson, a senior scientist at B, asserted that the smoke now lasts weeks and months, rather than choking the sky for a few daysC.
Centers for Disease Control.
A gardening expert says plants can play the role of fire, smoke barrier homeowners want to protect their property from wildfire and clean the air in their homes from harmful smoke, they areA lush, well-
The watered lawn is a fire barrier, while plants such as peace lily, snake and fig purify the air.
However, cedar and Juniper trees can be used as a special plant.
Between your garden and the house is called a "fire ladder" and Jim Hall warns
Enjoy the owner of the center, the greenhouse facility located in StAlbert, Alta.
"These trees have a lot of oil and wax inside, so they burn easily," Hall said . ".
"So the deal is that you can still grow these trees and shrubs outside, just put them far away from your home.
"In this case, we tell people to stay inside, but no one wants to spend the whole summer in it," she said . ".
She pointed out that due to the long range of smoke pollution, scientists need to develop different methods to protect public health.
"What we really don't want to do is cause panic.
Wildfire smoke is not the cause of panic, but it is the cause of concern.
The smoke of the wildfire is amazing for the singer
Worst of all, a green thumb can help protect your property from wildfire. The content of wildfire smoke and its effect on people varies depending on the burning material, if the fire is smoldering or burning, weather conditions and distance from the fire.
Laurel fergennan knows.
How wildfire smoke can exacerbate breathing problems, especially for singers.
When he was young, he spent 10 years helping to pay his tuition in the forest fire.
Now, at 55, he's a longtime director of the choir.
Jean is one of the largest French choir in Western Canada.
"Smoke is much more dangerous than flames.
Flame, you can run away, but when there's some [in your lungs [smoke]
"It knocked you down completely," he said . "
"Inhaling smoke makes you so helpless so quickly. "Long-
Health effects of air quality compounds
Existing medical conditions
Such as asthma, lung and heart disease
Living in a smoky environment during the wildfire season can lead to long periods of time.
Inhalation of high concentrations of fine particles can have a long-term impact on health, Henderson said.
"Basically, if you're a person who's in poor health for a day --to-
"Smoking can make your life harder because of illness or chronic illness," she warned . ".
Air purification sales have surged as Canadians expect to stay indoors in the smoggy summer. There is smoke here, there are Edmonton wildfire researchers, but Henderson notes that scientists still don't have enough information to understand how smoke can be used in babies and pregnant women, or long
Long-term effects of repeated exposure.
She began working on the health effects of wildfire smoke in 2003.
Over the past decade, smoking has become more and more common, and it is expected that this will continue, she said.
"We all need to get into every wild season and expect this to be probably the worst season we 've ever seen," Henderson said . ".
"The best way to protect your health from wildfire smoke is to minimize and reduce your exposure," she continued, noting that doctors recommend using portable air filters or ventilation systems to maintain indoor air smokefree.
News from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation by Amara McLaughlin.
Produced by Adrienne Lamb, Andrew coolata, Wallis Snowden and Johanna vogstaff.