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Wildfires in Ontario make Toronto air quality worst in world
9 days ago
- Smoke from over 100 wildfires in northern Ontario has made Toronto's air quality the worst globally, affecting cities across the northeastern US.
- Environment Canada issued health warnings as Toronto experienced a heatwave reaching 37.3°C, breaking a three-decade record, with airport runways hitting 55°C.
- Wildfires forced mandatory evacuations from First Nations communities, with striking footage showing a train engulfed in flames near Armstrong, Ontario.
- Residents fled quickly, including by boat, with the community of Collins reportedly burned to the ground, though all evacuated safely.
- Officials link extreme temperatures and severe weather events to climate change, urging adherence to emergency guidance amid ongoing threats.
- Air quality alerts extend to Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with thicker smoke expected over New York and Washington later in the week.
800 Canadian wildfires burning as air quality alerts extend to US
8 days ago
- More than 800 wildfires are burning across Canada, with over 850 active fires, most out of control.
- Air quality alerts extend into the U.S., with hazardous conditions in Michigan and Minnesota, and very unhealthy air in parts of New York.
- Smoke from Ontario wildfires is drifting over the Great Lakes and into the U.S., causing hazy skies and affecting cities like Detroit, Minneapolis, and Toronto.
- Northwesterly winds are expected to continue blowing smoke into northern U.S. states through the weekend, raising concerns for events like the World Cup final in New Jersey.
- Michigan Republican lawmakers sent an open letter to Canada's Prime Minister, expressing frustration over repeated wildfire management issues.
- Wildfires have forced evacuations in First Nations communities in northern Ontario, damaged homes, and led to emergency rescues, including for trapped rail workers.
- Thunderstorms in Ontario may not provide enough rain to significantly help, but a wind change by Monday could improve air quality in the southern U.S.
Canada's Forests Will Burn and Burn
8 days ago
- Once wildfires start in Canada's boreal forests, they often become uncontrollable due to the vast area and limited resources.
- Climate change has increased the size and intensity of wildfires, with record-breaking seasons occurring recently, such as in 2023.
- Wildfire smoke affects air quality in distant cities like Toronto and New York, making smoky summers more common in eastern regions.
- Fires have led to evacuations, closures, and dangerous incidents, such as a train crew being surrounded by flames in Ontario.
- Wildfires are causing a decline in black spruce conifers and transforming vegetation, impacting forest ecosystems.
- Boreal forests, which store massive amounts of carbon, are becoming significant sources of greenhouse gases when they burn.
- Studies show carbon emissions from wildfires have increased by 60% in two decades, with Canadian fires contributing heavily.
- Large fires can generate extreme conditions like hurricane-force winds and pyrocumulus clouds, spreading smoke globally.
- Heat waves often coincide with wildfires, as seen in the 2021 Lytton fire following record-high temperatures.
- Wildfire smoke darkens glaciers, accelerating melting and creating feedback loops that exacerbate climate change.
80k people flee as wildfires spread in France and Spain
5 hours ago
- Over 90,000 people have fled wildfires in Spain and France, with Spain declaring a national emergency and France ordering total evacuation of a major holiday spot.
- France's Cap Ferret peninsula is being evacuated due to an intense, unpredictable wildfire that has burned over 12,500 hectares of forest.
- Spain declared its first wildfire national emergency as two blazes merged near Madrid, with extreme heat and dry conditions fueling the fires.
- Both countries sought EU help; officials described the situation as unprecedented and a 'perfect storm' of high temperatures and strong winds.
- About 800 firefighters and water-bombing planes are battling the fires, but conditions remain highly dynamic and unfavorable.
- Climate breakdown is cited as a factor, increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and wildfires.
- There have been 29 major forest fires in Spain by mid-2026, compared to an average of 9 per year in the past decade, burning over 114,796 hectares.
- Arrests have been made in Spain related to causing the fires, with suspects ignoring bans on heavy machinery use.

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#wildfires

Wildfires in Ontario make Toronto air quality worst in world

800 Canadian wildfires burning as air quality alerts extend to US

Canada's Forests Will Burn and Burn

80k people flee as wildfires spread in France and Spain