GLOBE News
Are You Affected by Smoke from a Wildfire?
Wildfires are a global issue. In just the month of July 2026, large blazes were reported in Canada, Europe, South America, Africa, and the United States. Smoke from large fires can travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles from the source, obscuring our skies and affecting air quality.
Take a Clouds Observation
GLOBE volunteers can use the GLOBE Clouds tool to report instances of smoke in their area. If you see or smell smoke from a wildfire event, and it is safe to do so, please take a Clouds observation. Select “Obscured Skies” on the Cloud Coverage screen, then select “Smoke.” Take photos as directed.
You can add even more details in the Special Feature section. Take a feature photo of the horizon to show visibility if the smoke is near the ground or capture the sky with the Sun behind the smoke. Add a description of the conditions. For example, you can describe visibility of a distant object along the horizon (Unusually Clear, Clear, Somewhat Hazy, Very Hazy, or Extremely Hazy) and describe related health observations (eye irritation, coughing, difficulty breathing, etc.).
GLOBE Volunteers Document Smoky Skies
The following observations were taken on 15 July 2026. You can see that the U.S. Northeast was experiencing hazy, yellowish skies and poor air quality directly related to fires burning in Canada.
You can compare these images with the NOAA experimental map below (view the image in action), which depicts smoke from fires burning in Canada. Together they show how GLOBE volunteers captured ground-based observations that help confirm the spread of smoke across the region.
This is not the first time GLOBE volunteers have documented smoke in this way. Back in 2023, the GLOBE Observer article “Fire in the Sky” highlighted numerous observations submitted by volunteers during a major smoke even in the eastern United States. Here are some of the images submitted on 6 and 7 June 2023!
From Smoke in the Sky to Changes on the Ground
If you are seeing smoky or obscured skies and want to see how it’s affecting your local air quality, you can use the interactive map on Purple Air. And if your air quality is poor, learn how to build a homemade air filter using this NOAA guide.
You can also use the GLOBE Observer app to make Land Cover observations in areas that have experienced a change due to wildfires.
In 2020, Dr. Rusty Low wrote about using the GLOBE Observer app to document extreme Earth events and explained how observations can help capture conditions before and after wildfire impacts.
By contributing Clouds and Land Cover observations when it is safe to do so, GLOBE volunteers can help build a clearer picture of how wildfire smoke affects skies, landscapes, and communities.
News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office