wildfires

The air quality index (AQI) level in Syracuse hit hazardous levels Wednesday morning

Air quality across the eastern U.S. plummeted early Wednesday morning as smoke from Canadian wildfires stretched from New York to Florida, turning skies otherworldly shades of orange, brown and gray.

Smoke from forest fires in Siberia also has stretched to Mongolia, Canada and Greenland. The fires are already an unusual occurrence for a region known as one of the coldest places on the planet.

Controlled burns help reduce wildfire risk by clearing out overgrown vegetation. The U.S. Forest Service is suspending them, concerning fire scientists.

California's iconic old-growth redwoods are incredibly resilient and built to survive fires. But even they may find it harder to rebound amid the mounting impacts of climate change.

Homeowners are rebuilding after wildfires, but many won't be required by governments to use fire-resistant materials. Without such improvements, communities face harm again with the next fire.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says President Trump has approved some $350 million in wildfire recovery funds. A FEMA statement had said the state and local governments could handle the damage.

The 2020 wildfire season is a grim reminder that disasters unfairly hit the poor and the elderly. Thousands of people on the West Coast still lack even temporary housing.

Scientists know that tiny particles from smoke can be inhaled deep into a person's lungs and even enter the bloodstream. But the long-term health effects of this are not fully understood.

Parts of the West Coast experienced very unhealthy or hazardous air from wildfires for the first time ever recorded. Millions endured that smoke for twice as long as the recent average.