ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For weeks last summer, Rochester suffered from unhealthy air quality because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Are fires still burning in Canada?

It’s hard to forget the eerie, orange color in the sky and the smell of a campfire in June of 2023. The air quality index was near 300 at times, making visibility low. Most of those fires have been extinguished but not all.

Last year was Canada’s worst wildfire season on record with more than 6,000 wildfires. While the fire season typically ends on Nov. 1, thousands of fires were still burning in October. Right now, the Canadian Wildland Information System reports that there are a handful of small fires burning in Alberta. So, while there are several active fires right now, they’re nothing like what Canada saw eight months ago.

The fire season normally starts in May. Experts with the Canadian Forest Service have warned that Canada should be on “high alert” for this year’s fire season. You can track all of this information using the Canadian Wildland Information System here.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to goodquestion@whec.com.