does anyone understand how bad the wildfires are right now because there are cities reporting AQIs of more than 1400 and even some currently above 1000 right now and i just cannot stress enough how hazardous air is categorized as 300 or above and yet there are states where that makes up the majority of their region twice over and i'm just wondering why nobody is talking about this when the 2023 wildfires were discussed everywhere as new york city reached just short of 500... a number doubled or even tripled across the midwest right now
and all of this is not to even mention how much of canada is affected by this because this blasted search engine hates being of any help to me. can we please start talking about this? because i feel like i'm losing my mind seeing these numbers get ignored when they are currently the worst in the entire world.
I can say for sure that here in Canada it's been really bad. Toronto has had a massive yellow-orange haze over it and the air quality has been so bad that N95 masks are completely sold out at my nearest drug store.
The thing I've not really heard anyone talk about, Canadians and non-Canadians, is that these wildfires are starting here in Canada in places that are primarily populated by our indigenous people. This is an interactive map from the government showing wildfire spots...
Pardon my phone screenshots, but the areas in orange/red in the north of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and the Northwest Territories are where a lot of reserves are. The Namaygoosisagagun First Nation was displaced due to the fires and had to flee via 12 to 14 foot boats. THOUSANDS of burnt hectares have also left the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation in need of emergency aid, which the government hesitated to provide. These are only a few examples, but so many of the red and purple dots on the map? Those are places where our most vulnerable population is being run out of their ancestral lands (and this is HARDLY the first time it has happened) and our government doesn't care, only goes after the damage has been done, and continues to go through with pipelines and oil industry projects that devastate these communities. Indigenous leaders have been at the forefront of wildfire relief teams, partly because they have no choice BUT to be.
I'm sure similar occurrences are happening in America, though I don't have any sources to back this up because my searches (opposite to OP, funnily enough) are primarily focused on Canadian news. All I ask in making this addition about Canada is for anyone reading this (particularly Americans) to have awareness of what's going on, and to keep this in mind when seeing how these wildfires affect your communities. It's easy to say it feels apocalyptic from the comfort of your home, but for thousands of people it isn't just a feeling, it's their reality.
adding onto this to share some ways to offer relief and support - despite the constant oppression and abuse from our government and citizens, these are people who are spending their days fighting for climate rights and fighting for a future that all of us live in. These are the same people and communities who have quite literally nothing left for them right now, and itβs unlikely that our governments are going to do anything for them.
Below are some ways to monetarily support - as of right now, this will be the most impactful for these communities in need; awareness posts are great, but wonβt put clothes on peopleβs backs. If at any point you can donate, please do!
Weβre committing to any donations we can right now - even 5, 10, 15 dollars can help. For us, thatβs a one-time purchase at Tim Hortonβs or McDonaldβs that we can skip to help our communities who are needing it most.
some accounts you can follow for updates are @/moontimeconnections @/truenorthaid and @/indigenousclimateaction
When you taste the smoke, when you say or think it looks apocalyptic, when you feel the impacting of our world burning around us - do not not forget our Indigenous siblings who are living that apocalypse, whoβs worlds are being burnt to the ground. Do not forget how much they have fought and advocated for the world we all share.
