File:Smoke over the Great Lakes (MODIS).jpg

English: On August 31, 2023, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired this true-color image, thick smoke obscured most of Lake Superior from view. The gray pall also stretched eastward across Canada and as far south as northern Wisconsin in the United States.

Most of this blue-gray Smoke originated from hundreds of wildfires more than 2,300 kilometers (1,430 mi) away that continued to ravage Western Canada late in a brutal fire season. On August 30, the BC (British Columbia) Wildfire Service reported 418 active fires burning in that province alone. Of that number 188 were considered out of control and the province was under a state of emergency. More than 3500 emergency personnel were working the blazes. High numbers of wildfires were also burning across Alberta and Northwest Territories.

The numbers of fires in British Columbia had not improved as of September 4. At that time 430 active fires were reported burning across the province with 2 new starts in the last 24 hours. 204 were listed as “out of control” 128 were “being held” and 98 were “under control”. Extreme or near-extreme fire weather continues across most of Western Canada with dry temperatures and gusting winds.