“I love the smell of Canadian wildfires in the morning”

Photo by Wayne Wastaken of Collins in Ontario

I drove to work yesterday morning in a low-lying fog. I didn’t think there was supposed to be a cold front coming in that would cause fog, but what did I know? I’m not a meteorologist. I got to work and stepped out of my car into heavy humidity and a smell that was like a chemical fire. It was like the smell of hot electricity mixed with cooked powder coating. I got to my desk and looked at the weather to find out that the “fog” was actually smoke coming from the Canadian wildfires, so the smell was that as well.

When I think of wildfires I’m assuming it’s going to smell like burning woods and brush and wildlife, not what I imagined what the Los Angeles in Blade Runner would smell like. Or actual Los Angeles in the 80s if we’re being honest. It’s not even a wet ashtray smell, it’s a straight up chemical smell. It really puts a damper on my outdoor exercise routine, or even any routine that requires breathing air in the great outdoors.

I’m seeing all these people whining about Canada and “their” wildfires messing up things in the lower 48, and I can only roll my eyes. Like Canada doesn’t have a Dead Sea Scrolls-length laundry list of beefs they have with us, and for good reason! Like we don’t contribute to plenty of environmental disasters that have gone a long way to put the world in disarray? Like, I don’t know, maybe the last 10 years with the clown show in Washington? Our President talking about making Canada the 51st state of the United States? Our own California wildfires that I’m sure make it up into Canada at times? I’m sure Vancouver and British Columbia get a good portion of our west coast wildfire leakage.

I’m thinking to myself, if it’s this bad here in northeast Indiana, it’s got to be absolutely terrible waaay up in Ontario where this thing started. I saw a video a friend posted the other day in Kitchener, Ontario and it looked like some dystopian landscape, sky orange and the smell of the smoke was getting into buildings via the AC. It looked like something from Mad Max, Damnation Alley, or one of those post-apocalyptic movies from Vestron Video or Cannon Video from the 80s.

I remember this happening a couple years back, same scenario, fires up north catching a ride on the southern slipstream down to the states. It was more so just the haze in the sky covering things. I don’t remember the smell all too much. I can only imagine the heat and humidity plays a part in keeping the haze and smell in the air. It’s sort of been this perfect storm of weather and environmental disaster that’s created an almost “nuclear winter” type situation. I checked the air quality number for my town and it’s at 261. 30 is a good number, so that should tell you something about the fine air we’re breathing here today. I’ve seen everything from 500 to 1150 north of here. We’re in “red planet” mode here.

All of this to say on a smoggy, unhealthy Friday morning that if you’re in one of these red zones stay in if you can. Or limit your time outside. I haven’t mowed in almost 2 weeks and I’ll keep waiting till some of this lifts. Try to enjoy your weekend, but safely.

And to my Canadian friends, hang in there. You all have it far worse than what we’re dealing with. Take care of yourselves. And yes, Trump is still far worse than this fire.

Happy smokey Friday.