Invisible smoke from Canadian wildfires detected over Europe: study

An orange-coloured haze, resulting from a nearby wildfire, is seen on a helipad in La Ronge, Sask., in an undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency

Invisible smoke from Canadian wildfires has been detected high above Europe.

According to a new study from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research in Germany, layers of invisible smoke were detected in Europe’s atmosphere during the 2023 wildfire season. Similar results were observed again in early June.

“This suggests that the atmosphere over Europe might be more polluted than previously thought, especially during the summer wildfire season,” the study explained.

Published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, the study was based on lidar measurements in Leibniz, Germany. Short for Light Detection and Ranging, lidar is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to create three-dimensional models. It works similarly to radar, which uses radio waves. Lidar was able to reveal layers of wildfire smoke that were otherwise invisible on satellite images.

“In the spring and summer of 2023, huge wildfires raged across Canada, with unusual intensity in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia,” the study said. “With the prevailing westerly winds, large amounts of biomass-burning aerosol were transported towards Europe.”

Researchers say these thin layers of smoke in the atmosphere can contribute to ice cloud formation, impacting sunlight and climate on the ground.