Massive wildfires burn out west as Canadian smoke moves east

Environmental Impact & Natural Disasters - Severe weather impacted various regions across the US, including New Jersey and New York, which experienced a magnitude 30% earthquake [4] - Wildfires in Canada caused smoke to blanket the eastern half of the US, leading to hazy skies and impacting air quality [2] - Minnesota experienced its longest air quality alert in history, lasting a week [3] - Chicago faced the worst air quality globally, with experts deeming it officially dangerous [3] Regional Weather Events - Heavy downpours in the south, particularly in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, led to deadly flooding, with one fatality reported in Alabama [1] - The Gford fire in central California expanded to approximately 40,000 acres with only 5% containment, resulting in injuries and impacting ranchers [1] Air Quality & Public Health - Air quality alerts are expected to expire in at least 10 states in the upper Midwest and Northeast, offering some relief from wildfire smoke [5]