Nearly 900 wildfires are raging across Canada, bringing hazardous air quality to US states and major cities, including Washington, DC. The massive blazes have sent smoke south into over a dozen US states, affecting millions of people.
President Trump vowed to hold Canada responsible for the "filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air" sweeping across the Northern US. He accused the country of "Willful Negligence" in failing to properly maintain its forests and brush, resulting in billions of dollars of damage to the US.
The President's comments came as air quality in Washington, DC was declared unsafe, particularly for sensitive groups such as older adults, children, pregnant people, and those with heart or lung diseases. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser warned that these individuals are at highest risk from the hazardous air.
Emergency rooms across the Northeast have reported a spike in patients, and cities including Detroit have handed out filtration masks as breathing outdoors remains unhealthy for tens of millions across North America. Blazes continue to spread out of control across parts of central Canada and the boundary waters of northern Minnesota.
Advancing weather systems are expected to help sweep away some of the stifling heat and smoke from the worst-hit parts of the US, at least for a little while. However, smoke could return to those same places this weekend.
The Canadian wildfires have resulted in the worst air pollution on record in Washington, with a plume of dense wildfire smoke stretching into the US capital. The view of the city's stately monuments has been blotted out, and the air quality is expected to remain unhealthy for the foreseeable future.
