15 sources of wildfire smoke forecasts for North America

July 31, 2025

Jeff Masters

We now live in the Pyrocene, a proposed new geologic epoch of high wildfire activity brought about by human-caused climate change. The occurrence of extreme fire weather is now roughly double compared to the preindustrial period, according to a study released just this week. The Pyrocene has brought a long summer of wildfire smoke in 2025 across North America, where plumes have disrupted outdoor plans for millions of residents. The worst smoke is blowing from the intense fires burning in central Canada, which has already experienced its third-worst fire season on record. But fire activity in the Western U.S. is beginning to ramp up as well, with major wildfires in Arizona and in Utah creating increasing amounts of unhealthy smoke in recent days.