Rotating and fracturing sea ice in the Beaufort Sea off the coast of Alaska and the Canadian Arctic archipelago, as seen in an animation of satellite images acquired between April 1 to 24, 2016. The northern coast of Alaska is towards the left of the frame. (Animation: National Snow and Ice Data Center. Images: NASA Worldview) The rampaging wildfire that blazed through the city of Fort McMurray in Alberta, destroying an estimated 1,600 homes, will likely continue burning for months to come.
This should come as no surprise, given the astonishing warmth that has gripped most of Earth's northern reaches for months on end. That warmth means the Canadian wildfire may well be just the kickoff to a long, hot and possibly record-setting summer in the region of the globe showing the most ...
