Key Points
- Carney cites large-scale firefighting efforts
- Climate change blamed for worsening fires
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said he urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to take stronger action against the wildfires raging across parts of Canada, as thick smoke from the blazes continued to spread into the United States.
The comments came after the two leaders met on the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, where Trump said he raised the issue directly with Carney.
The US president described their discussions as positive but stressed that the wildfire situation had become a growing concern for millions of Americans living in areas affected by smoke drifting south from Canada.
“I told him, you’ve got to get those fires under control,” Trump told reporters, referring to the Canadian prime minister. He added that the smoke had caused significant air quality problems in several US states and suggested that Canada needed to do more to contain the blazes.
Trump warns of economic consequences
Trump’s remarks followed earlier comments in which he suggested Canada could face economic consequences if the smoke continued to affect the United States.
He had previously raised the possibility of imposing additional tariffs or seeking compensation from Canada for the cross-border impact of the wildfires, although no formal measures have been announced.
The issue has become increasingly prominent as smoke from hundreds of active wildfires in Ontario and other parts of Canada spreads across a wide swathe of the United States.
Air quality alerts have been issued in several states, including parts of the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Authorities have advised residents to limit outdoor activities, particularly those with respiratory conditions, children and the elderly, according to AFP.
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Meteorologists say weather patterns have carried large smoke plumes hundreds of kilometres southward, reducing visibility and creating hazy conditions in major urban centres.
Health authorities have warned that prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can aggravate asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.
Canadian officials have defended their response to the crisis, noting that the country is experiencing one of its most challenging wildfire seasons in recent years.
Prime Minister Carney said earlier that more than 5,300 firefighters and emergency personnel had been deployed to combat the blazes, supported by aircraft, thermal imaging systems and advanced monitoring technologies.
The Canadian government has also received assistance from several international partners as authorities attempt to contain fires burning across remote and heavily forested regions. Officials say difficult terrain, dry vegetation and persistent hot weather have complicated firefighting operations and increased the risk of new outbreaks.
According to official Canadian data, approximately 5.9 million acres, or about 2.4 million hectares, have burned so far during the current wildfire season. Thousands of residents have been displaced from affected communities, and emergency evacuation orders remain in place in several regions.
Scientists and climate experts have repeatedly warned that wildfire seasons across North America are becoming longer, more intense and more destructive.
Rising global temperatures, prolonged droughts and increasingly frequent heatwaves have created conditions that allow fires to ignite more easily and spread more rapidly.
Canada experienced a record-breaking wildfire season in 2023, when more than 18 million hectares of land burned and smoke spread across much of North America. Researchers say similar climate-driven conditions continue to increase the likelihood of extreme fire events in both Canada and the United States.
Environmental experts note that wildfire smoke does not respect national borders, making cooperation between neighbouring countries essential. Both Canada and the United States routinely share firefighting resources, weather data and emergency response expertise during severe wildfire seasons.
Nevertheless, Trump’s comments highlight growing public concern in the United States over the recurring impact of Canadian wildfire smoke on air quality and public health. For many communities, smoky skies and health warnings have become an increasingly common feature of the summer months.
