For most of the past decade, forecasters have been able to use satellites to track these smoke plumes, but the view was only two-dimensional

The smoke floating over the border shared between America and Canada is now impacting air quality in states as far south as Texas, AirNow's data shows. The EPA has declared the air quality in states near the Canadian border as "unhealthy or "unhealthy for sensitive groups."

In early 2025, wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. During the fires, smoke blanketed the region and online maps provided residents with rapid air quality information.