Wildfires raging in Canada over the past month have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and created a blanket of smoke that has blanketed large swaths of neighboring America.
Smoke from wildfires in Canada covers the US capital Washington on June 8, 2023. Photo: Reuters
About 4.3 million hectares have burned, about 15 times the annual average over the past decade. The fires have affected mining operations in Canada and disrupted flights in the United States.
While wildfires are common in Canada, it is unusual for fires to burn simultaneously in the east and west of the country, straining firefighting resources, forcing authorities to send in the military and raising concerns about the worsening effects of climate change.
The United States has sent hundreds of firefighters to Canada in recent weeks and said it is continuing to provide additional assistance. President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday that he has directed his administration to respond promptly to requests for additional firefighters and firefighting equipment.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Biden for U.S. assistance during a phone call on Wednesday, mentioning climate change as the cause of the unprecedented early-season wildfires. Trudeau and Biden discussed the need to “work together to address the devastating impacts of climate change,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office of Canada.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday that France, Portugal and Spain are also sending more than 280 firefighters to Canada. Help is also coming from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Some of the worst fires are burning in the eastern province of Quebec, where about 12,600 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. About 132 fires are currently burning in the province, down from nearly 150 on Wednesday.
In parts of the Pacific province of British Columbia, which is battling the second-largest wildfire on record, temperatures are forecast to reach 33 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, before thunderstorms and heavy rain could arrive on Friday.
Mai Anh (according to Reuters)
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