Photos: Satellite imagery shows western Canada covered in a solid blanket of wildfire smoke
RAMMB-CIRA captured Alberta sitting under a thick blanket of wildfire smoke.
As wildfire smoke swirled, parts of Alberta have been some of the worst air quality on the planet this week, and severe smoke has blanketed Edmonton.
Hot temperatures and dry, windy conditions continue to challenge Alberta firefighters this weekend, as thick wildfire smoke settles over Edmonton and surrounding areas.
On Saturday, the air quality health index (AQHI) was at 10+ — very high risk, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, which is forecasting similarly high levels of smoke pollution through the weekend.
"That very poor air quality now puts Alberta on the world map," meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal reported for The Weather Network, based on data from the index.
In fact, the cloud of smoke was so strong that the Colarado Department of Health and Environment issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Northeast Colorado and parts of the Front Range, including Denver for wildfire smoke coming from fires burning in Canada.
Satellite captures blanket of smoke
The RAMMB-CIRA satellite imagery of western Canada showed Alberta sitting beneath a solid blanket of wildfire smoke.
Weather specialist Kyle Brittain tweeted the satellite images Saturday morning showing what Alberta looks like from space.
