Air quality alerts have been activated across Canada and parts of the northern United States due to the hazardous smoke being produced by numerous wildfires. Environment Canada has issued warnings that the air quality, particularly in Ontario, has drastically declined, with Toronto finding itself among the cities with the worst air quality globally.
In the U.S., similar air quality alerts were announced for Chicago, advising residents to take precautions, especially vulnerable populations such as infants and the elderly. Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada is set to meet with emergency responders in Ottawa to assess the ongoing situation, as wildfires rage in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and northern Ontario, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes.
Environment Canada has specifically urged residents to minimize their time spent outdoors and to consider postponing any outdoor activities, stressing that high levels of air pollution pose serious health risks, particularly for pregnant women, children, and individuals with preexisting health conditions. The National Weather Service in Chicago echoed this advisory, highlighting that unhealthy ozone levels paired with lingering wildfire smoke have instigated the emergency alert.
The political ramifications of the wildfires have also escalated, as last week, six U.S. lawmakers reached out to the Canadian ambassador, expressing their frustration that the smoke from Canadian wildfires is affecting Americans’ ability to enjoy summer activities. Manitoba’s premier rebuffed their complaints, accusing them of downplaying the serious nature of the wildfires.
The wildfires, which have spread over thousands of hectares, have been particularly disastrous in May and June, resulting in around 30,000 evacuees from the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where emergencies have been declared. Meanwhile, a new fire outbreak on Newfoundland's Bonavista Peninsula rapidly expanded, destroying numerous cabins near Chance Harbour.
Scientists have emphasized the connection between the increasing severity of wildfire seasons and climate change, with Canada warming almost twice the global average, and its Arctic regions heating nearly three times faster.
