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Some smoke has also reached parts of the Arctic Ocean, where it can coat sea ice and accelerate melting.It could be weeks or more until the wildfires themselves are brought under control. But the weather system carrying the smoke into the northern US could changeA helicopter drops water onto wildfires near Port Alberni, British Columbia, in Canada on 6 JuneAir pollution from wildfire smoke largely has the same health effects as other types of air pollution, saysat Boston University.
Kinney says even a few days of such high levels of air pollution is enough to exacerbate existing lung conditions and possibly cause new ones. “I think there will be observable spikes in people going to emergency rooms,” he says. “The longer that goes on the more likely that is.”State health advisories recommend staying inside as much as possible, keeping windows shut and limiting the use of air conditioning. In smaller rooms, air purifiers can effectively reduce pollution.