Why is Canada's wildfire smoke blanketing parts of North America? – explainer

Canada's wildfire smoke is increasingly blanketing parts of North America due to a rise in the size and intensity of fires, primarily fueled by climate change. Higher temperatures lead to drier forests, allowing fires to spread faster and prolonging the wildfire season. Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire, noted that the area burned in Canada has nearly quadrupled since the 1970s. These fires, often in unmanaged forests, are causing significant air quality issues across Canadian and U.S. cities. Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist, stated, "The reason this is having a big effect on the U.S. right now is because of climate change; that’s the thing that has changed. Nothing else has changed." Governments are responding by allocating more funds for firefighting, implementing preventative measures, and considering a national coordinating office for wildfires, as Canada is the only G7 country without a federal agency focused on combating them.