A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE
The NASA Terra image of Alaska shows a dramatic juxtaposition of retreating Beaufort Sea Ice to the north and smoke from wildfires in the high Arctic tundra spreading hundreds of miles into Canada.
The whole region is in the grip of a mini heatwave with temps expected to approach 90 degrees as far north as the shore of the Arctic Ocean this weekend. Arctic forest fires are happening at a rate not seen in at least 10,000 years due to rapid warming, longer dry spells, and increased lightning frequency, according to recent studies.
In British Columbia, provincial officials issued a state of emergency for more than 180 rapidly growing wildfires that have begun to…
