Smoke plumes may reach U.S. as wildfires in Canada erupt [Video]

After a somewhat subdued start, the fire season in Canada has suddenly come alive with a recent flare-up of blazes reminiscent of last summer, the country’s worst fire season on record. Concern is growing that the current explosion of fire activity could send at least some smoke south toward the United States.

Fast-moving fires, ignited by a lightning barrage, have swept over parched lands in western Canada desiccated by drought. Alberta and neighboring British Columbia have been hardest hit.

The national preparedness level, which signals the resources required to combat ongoing blazes, was raised to a Level 5 out of 5 on Monday.

“Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is high to extreme and expected to remain so in one or multiple agencies,” the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center wrote. “National availability of resources is limited, international resources are being mobilized.”

On average, fires burn more than 5 million acres …