3 lessons from the Western U.S. for dealing with wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke filling the New York City skyline was a familiar sight to communities in the Western U.S., who have had to learn to live with the effects of more extreme fires. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

When New York City's skyline turned an eerie orange color with smoke from widespread wildfires in Canada, it was an all-too-familiar sight for residents of the Western U.S. In recent years, record-setting wildfires have darkened the sky for weeks at a time with unhealthy air, upending life for Westerners.

Hazardous wildfire smoke is becoming an increasing problem around the country, as NPR's California Newsroom has reported. The risk is only expected to rise, as a hotter climate helps create bigger and more severe fires that can take months to contain.