Smoke chokes major US cities
Thick smoke from raging Canadian wildfires has drifted across the US border, blanketing cities from the Midwest to the East Coast. Chicago recorded the worst air quality in the world according to IQAir, followed by Detroit, Washington DC, Toronto, and New York. Hazardous air quality alerts have forced cancellation of outdoor events, and New York activated its emergency air quality protocols, opening cooling centers and distributing KN95 masks.
Over 890 active fires are burning across Canada, with nearly 3 million hectares already destroyed. The smoke plume has been so dense that it blocked views of the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty in New York City.
US lawmakers demand action
Four Republican members of Congress from Michigan sent an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing Canada of "chronic under-investment in forest thinning, fuel reduction, and prescribed burns." The lawmakers warned that the US could explore direct involvement in cross-border wildfire protection if Canada fails to act. "American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year," they wrote.
Carney pushes back
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney did not directly address the letter but said during a news conference that "climate change is everyone's responsibility - truly everyone's - including the United States." Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismissed the criticism, noting that over 150 fire crews are battling the blazes and said the province would "spend whatever it takes." Experts note that hotter temperatures from climate change are making land drier and more prone to ignition.