Health officials in New York, Toronto and Ottawa have issued warnings to residents about health risks from smoke from an unusually early and intense summer forest fire in eastern Canada.
The wildfires, which have started earlier than usual, have put Canada on track for its worst wildfire season ever, with hot and dry conditions expected to last for months.
Wildfires have broken out in almost all Canadian provinces and territories, with Quebec being the worst hit due to multiple lightning-started fires. In response, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued a health advisory for counties including New York, the Bronx and Queens. The advisory recommends that residents limit vigorous outdoor activities to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.
The region neighboring Ottawa, Canada’s capital, faces a bleak situation with extremely poor air quality, as indicated by Environment Canada’s Air Quality Health Index. Smoke from both local wildfires and wildfires has contributed to poor air quality in Quebec. Toronto has also been affected by polluted air and the situation is expected to persist throughout the week, according to the government-run Meteorological Agency.
Environment Canada stresses that even small amounts of wildfire smoke can be harmful to health, especially for people with lung or heart disease, older adults, children and pregnant women. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly thanked the United States, Mexico, South Africa and France for sending firefighters to help fight the wildfires.
Unprecedented wildfires in eastern Canada have prompted mass evacuations and the deployment of military personnel by the federal government. More than 3.3 million hectares of land have already burned, thirteen times the ten-year average, and more than 120,000 people have been temporarily displaced from their homes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged the public to follow the instructions of local authorities to ensure their safety in affected areas, including Ottawa, where smoke from the wildfires has taken its toll.