A Canadian wildfire and recent cold front brought smoke into Southeast Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said, adding hazy skies are present in the atmosphere.
The hazy skies and smell of smoke sparked the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department to send an alert through its Facebook page Thursday afternoon.
“Upper atmosphere winds have brought a haze and smoky smell to Kenosha County,” the post states.
Meanwhile, the National Aeronautic Space Administration said the smoke likely came from British Columbia, where 123 active fires have been reported as of Aug. 29.
NASA states dry conditions and warmer temperatures have been the cause.
“This year has been particularly hard for British Columbia in their ongoing battles with wildfires,” the NASA website states. “Climate change has caused more wildfires to break out in this area due to hotter temperatures and drier conditions in the summer when wildfires are more apt to break out.”