US wildfires visible from space as ferocious fumes of smoke seen coast-to-coast

The raging wildfires across the western U. S. and Canada are now so extensive that they're visible from space , with striking satellite images capturing the smoke as it travels across the country into the Plains, Midwest, and even reaching the Northeast.

This phenomenon echoes last year's smoky skies over places like New York City, which were also caused by Canadian wildfires.

Satellites operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are actively monitoring these swift-moving fires from space, according to Space.com. NOAA is not only pinpointing the locations of the fires but also tracking the movement of the smoke plumes.

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The pervasive smoke is leading to significant atmospheric alterations over vast regions of the country and, more worryingly, could result in poor air quality for some areas.

A drop to "moderate ranges" in air quality was observed on Thursday morning in parts of the Plains and Midwest.

The Northwest, particularly Eastern Oregon, has seen the worst air quality deterioration due to several massive fires, each burning over 100,000 acres, as reported.

New York City was also enveloped in the smoky haze on Thursday, which had traveled an incredible 2,000 miles from its origin.

Residents of NYC witnessed a day shrouded in haze, with the sun occasionally peeking through the smoke - a truly rare and eerie scene.

The smoke is rising high, seemingly creating a cloud-like appearance rather than the misty haze seen during last year's wildfires, which colored the sky with an orange hue.

In the days ahead, smoke is predicted to continue affecting air quality across the U. S.

, inclusive of the East Coast, as per the FOX Forecast Center. An increase in smoke from Canada's south, deemed "more noticeable" than the previous day's haze, is anticipated by the center.

With no signs of slowing down, several more phases of thick smoke are expected over the upcoming days and weeks. As stated by Fox Weather, about 90 fires are currently ablaze along the U.

S. West Coast, with almost 22,000 firefighters combating these infernos.

Jasper National Park, the Canadian Rockies' largest national park, has evacuated thousands of residents and tourists due to rampaging wildfires, reports Space.com. The sweeping blazes have affected the southern segment of the community.

Damages in the area are significant, with many structures reduced to mere ash. Fires, which began on Monday, also led to evacuations in a few neighboring towns.

Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) devices aboard NOAA's GOES-R satellites reportedly snapped satellite images of the smoke's movements. These tools utilize varying spectral bands and wavelengths on their channels to seek out smoke indicators and pinpoint wildfire hotspots.

The images then enable firefighters to identify the exact location of these hotspots as they monitor the expansion or reduction of each wildfire phenomenon. As reported by Space.com, this can enhance forecasts, which subsequently allows authorities to make evacuation decisions more promptly.