Canada is facing more than 800 active wildfires, while the smoke they have produced has significantly damaged air quality in several parts of the country, as well as in the northern United States.
Data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre show that there are 857 active fires. They include 23 new fires recorded on Thursday. The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System reports that most of them are still not under control.
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The worsening situation has prompted air quality alerts in several U.S. states. Authorities have urged residents to reduce outdoor activities due to pollution caused by the smoke.
The U.S. Air Quality Index program has classified the air as “hazardous” in parts of Michigan and Minnesota. According to the U.S. National Weather Service (NOAA), warnings extend across the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes region and the country’s Northeast.
Meteorologists expect storms in Ontario in the coming days, but the forecast rainfall is not considered sufficient to have a significant impact on extinguishing the fires.
Over the weekend, northwesterly winds are also expected to carry smoke toward northern U.S. states. There are concerns that the pollution could also reach New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be held. At the beginning of next week, a change in wind direction could bring a gradual improvement in air quality south of the border.
According to Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir, Detroit currently has the most polluted air in the world. It is followed by Minneapolis and Toronto.
The event has also sparked reactions on the U.S. political scene. Four Republican lawmakers from Michigan have sent an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, calling for more effective wildfire management measures. They expressed dissatisfaction that the problem is recurring for the third consecutive year.
On the other hand, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, praised cooperation between the two countries in dealing with the situation. He stressed that the United States and Canada will continue coordinating the management of shared emergencies.
The fires have caused more than just air pollution. Hundreds of residents from First Nations Indigenous communities in northern Ontario have been forced to evacuate. Local authorities report extensive damage to homes and buildings, while a recently released video showed a freight train surrounded by flames in Ontario.
Canadian National Railway announced that all stranded employees were rescued without injuries. Rail operations in the region have been temporarily suspended.
