As New York turns yellow, it’s Canada’s wildfires that need the public attention.
While a yellowed New York sky may draw worldwide focus, it is only an indicator of a far-reaching disaster developing thousands of miles away. Canada has to deal with a record-breaking number of wildfires, which have been burning since March 2023 and have escalated significantly in force around June time. The most severe wildfire season in Canadian history, hitting all provinces and territories except Nunavut.
By early Friday, June 5, over 43,000 square kilometres (10,600,000 acres) had been burnt by 2,214 wildfires. A day later, there were 413 active fires, with 249 of them marked “out of control.” The smoke arising from these infernos has not only caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada, but it has additionally had an impact on the United States and Europe.
The view of New York covered in an odd yellow tint caused by passing smoke particles is remarkable. But it’s vital not to lose sight of the disaster that caused this strange problem. Through the colours is an evolving disaster that is destroying the environment and endangering the safety and well-being of people in Canada, Europe & USA.
Still despite the size and magnitude of these wildfires, the world tends to concentrate on their indirect & often far-reaching effects, such as the growing darkness of skylines, instead of the fires themselves and the devastation they cause.
It’s important that we focus our attention on Canada. The fires burning there are a worldwide problem, not just a local one. Climate change, which is the fundamental cause behind the rising frequency and severity of such disasters, is a global issue. The world’s nations must recognise the severity of the situation in Canada, offer support, and work with them as a collective to try and overcome the approaching environmental disasters.
While smoke from these wildfires passes international borders, it offers an uneasy reminder of how dependent our planet is in so many different ways. Climate change has no limits. The consequences are broad.
In other words, as we’re talking about the yellowing skies of New York, let’s simultaneously talk about the devastating fires in Canada and the disappointing truth they represent. The global conversation has to shift beyond the colour of a city’s skyline and towards the colour of our planet and the way we can collaborate together to safeguard it from becoming gradually ruined by the damages of climate change. After all, the problem isn’t just a yellowing sky; it’s a burning earth.
Note: Some areas of this article was created with the support of AI assistant ChatGPT – Click to read more about ChatGPT (it’s quite interesting) – although I still write my own articles and come up with all topics I’ll often ask GPT to make my articles more formal with better wording & terminology.
