Wildfires torch the San Gabriel Mountains in LA (Wikimedia Commons)

Wildfires have been ravaging California and Oregon, destroying land that is the size of Connecticut. Experts note these fires will become more frequent and leave long-lasting effects, one of which is widespread smoke diffusion. NASA’s satellite data shows that wildfire smoke has transcended thousands of miles and polluted air in several midwestern and eastern states, including Ohio. 

This smoke is high up in the jetstream layer of the atmosphere, so it is unlikely to affect air quality in Ohio like it has in places such as Michigan and Illinois. However, the smoke accounts for recent hazy weather, which will continue as long as the fires are burning.

Any vibrant sunsets we see come at a severe cost. Climate change is real, threatening, and relentless, for those who think otherwise.