On a recent episode of AquaDiary, host Ally Berry explored how smoke from Canadian wildfires affects far more than air quality, examining its impact on lakes, drinking water and aquatic ecosystems. The episode explains how wildfire smoke and ash can alter water chemistry by blocking sunlight, adding nutrients, browning lakes and contributing to mercury contamination that can move through the food chain. It also examines how decades of wildfire suppression and changes in forest conditions have increased fire risk while making burned landscapes more vulnerable to erosion and mudslides. The discussion concludes by exploring what scientists know — and what remains uncertain — about the links between climate change, Alberta’s oil sands and the increasingly smoky summers affecting communities across North America.
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