The Air Quality Index in my town is currently 260 (very unhealthy) due to a surge in wildfires in western Canada and the northwest US. There are additional smaller fires not shown on this map at this zoom level.

From the interactive map it looks like the worst air in the world right now.

    • Ubermeisters@lemmy.zip
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      2 years ago

      Today is a LOT better than. Yesterday, I’ll be very glad to be at home later where my AC filters are keeping my place breathable… did t have that the last time this was an issue and wow. Makes a BIG difference.

  • scarabic@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    I feel for you. Have been through the same down here in California. It’s apocalyptic.

  • Hegz@lemmy.ca
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    2 years ago

    Checking in from right in the middle of three of those big fires in Canada. We had air quality ratings of around 600-700 (according to purple air) today.

    For parts of the day it was snowing ash.

    It’s truly awful. But I’m thankful I don’t have to deal with asthma, or dealing with being evacuated.

    I saw a news article saying we had the worst air in the world today, then I checked around in purple air and were a close second. A neighboring city was showing values at 800+.

  • Wage_Slave@kbin.social
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    2 years ago

    Sorry guys. Shit’s kinda fucked up here, but there are some real heroes getting busy up here. We’re almost out of stuff to burn I think, and people keep stealing fire fighters gear to try and save their own property so yeah, at this rate, climate will win shortly and there won’t be anything left soonish.

    Again, sorry guys.

    • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      Again, sorry guys.

      Canadian confirmed.

      But no worries. That high altitude smoke has been moderating temperatures in my neck of the woods and we’ve had a pleasant summer and low electric bills.

    • nicetriangle@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      Yeah seeing how people have reacted to some of the stuff that’s started to happen with climate change and also the pandemic, I have less than zero faith in how humanity will rise to some of the coming challenges. Negative faith.

  • ZephrC@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    I’m glad I don’t live in central Washington anymore. I still remember a few years back I was stopped at a sign and the smoke was so thick I could watch the dark red sun setting behind the even thicker smoke to west at 4 in the afternoon. It was surreal.

  • Shortstack@reddthat.com
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    2 years ago

    If I gotta breathe in smoke from a fire I’d prefer it be that sourdough fire.

    But yeah it’s pretty bad here lately. This situation must have something to do with the tropical storm remnants, think it’s blocking in all of the smoke from blowing east

  • Thebazilly@pathfinder.social
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    2 years ago

    Hello from Spokane, where we were literally off the chart yesterday! (AQI of 511 out of 500!) I went outside for five minutes to water the garden and my eyes were stinging and teary for a while afterwards.

    But nobody gives a shit unless it’s the east coast, because this has happened nearly every year for the past 5 years. At least I can see the sky today.

    • nicetriangle@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      Yeah honestly as someone who lived through a lot of smoke in the PNW, I was in a weird way kinda glad the east coast was getting a solid piece of it earlier this year. More people need to know what the fuck going on and they’re way too frequently spared from it over there.

      When it’s bad it’s like apocalyptic bad, people don’t understand.

      • Ubermeisters@lemmy.zip
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        2 years ago

        Ok well let me provide some contrast please.

        I live in Snohomish, but I’m originally from upstate NY. I went back yo NY this year for family, when things there were unusually smokey for once.

        IT WAS WAY WORSE THAT IVE EVER SEEN IT IN NORTH SEATTLE, EVEN THOUGH THE AQI FIGURED WERE LOWER. Add to that, people don’t know the most basic things about coping woth smoke there, like making box fan + furnace filters.

        So yeah they complained a lot because it was truly very very bad. I sincerely hope we don’t have to deal with that becuase in the 12 years I’ve been in PNW, it’s NEVER been close to as bad as NY earlier this year.