From TheConversation: Wildfire smoke is back – fires burning across Canada are already triggering US air quality alerts in the Midwest and Plains

“The North American Seasonal Fire Assessment and Outlook for May through July highlights drought conditions in western Canada and Central America and higher than normal fire risk in both regions. It also notes the challenge of forecasting fire risk for later in the year as the El Niño climate pattern transitions to La Niña in late summer.”