Wildfire smoke blankets Toronto, threatens US air quality
Video captured on July 13 shows flames surrounding a freight train as it rushes past burning trees near Armstrong in northwestern Ontario. Audio from the train crew captures one member saying, “This could potentially overtake us here, this has gotten a little scary.” The crew reported being “encased” in fire, according to BBC News, and requested an emergency rescue.
Canadian National Rail said in a statement that the workers were all safely rescued, but it did not provide details about how the rescue occurred. The company said it temporarily suspended operations in the region and relocated employees. The workers seen in the video were able to escape and are safe, CN Rail said.
Multiple wildfires are burning in the province. There are currently more than 100 wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario, with numerous fires remaining out of control because of extreme heat, dry conditions, and strong winds. Nationwide, at least 838 wildfires are actively burning, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported.
More than a dozen fires are also burning in Minnesota, a U.S. state on the Canadian border, due to the same weather conditions.
On Wednesday, residents of Toronto, Canada’s largest city, woke to a yellow sky and thick, hazy smoke. The city has also faced extreme heat this week. Toronto officials issued warnings about dangerous air quality, and IQAir ranked Toronto as having the worst air quality in the world, ahead of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Delhi, Dubai, and Jerusalem.
Outdoor World Cup fan events scheduled for the England and Argentina match on Wednesday in Toronto were canceled, and wading pools were closed.
Environment Canada advised residents that they “may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough,” and that “more serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough.” The agency urged anyone who thinks they are having a medical emergency to seek immediate assistance.
In the United States, officials have warned that smoke is expected to drift into the region starting Wednesday, even as extreme heat begins to ease. Extreme heat warnings in the midwestern states of Wisconsin and Minnesota are expected to expire by Thursday night. But air quality will remain an issue for millions, especially for children, the elderly, or those with health conditions, officials said.
New York City Emergency Management said in a statement Tuesday that “current forecasts do not indicate a repeat of 2023 conditions,” referring to the severe smoke from Quebec wildfires that blanketed the U.S. East Coast that year. The statement added that KN95 masks will be distributed for free at public library branches around the city.
The smoke is also expected to affect New Jersey, where the 2026 World Cup final is scheduled to take place on Sunday.