Global Courant
President Biden offered additional resources to Canada during a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday as historic wildfires sweep through the country and smoke pours into US states as far south as North Carolina.
According to a White House statement, the president has directed that all available federal firefighting resources be used to suppress the hundreds of fires afflicting the Canadian and American communities.
As of Wednesday night, the US has sent more than 600 firefighters and support personnel across the border to help with the response.
“The two leaders also discussed continuing to work together to prevent wildfires and address the health impacts such fires have on our communities,” the White House said, adding that Biden and Trudeau continue to stay in “close contact” for emerging needs.
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Smoke and flames rise from the Cameron Bluffs wildfire near Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada, on June 6, 2023. (James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trudeau confirmed on Twitter Wednesday evening that hundreds of US firefighters have “recently arrived” in Canada and more are on the way, adding that he is grateful for the “critical support”.
Both leaders took the opportunity to join Biden in blaming the fires on climate change also in a tweet that Canada’s record wildfires are “accelerating because of the climate crisis”.
Trudeau echoed similar sentiments in a longer tweet, writing: “We are seeing more and more of these fires due to climate change. These fires are impacting daily routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality. We will continue to work – here at home and with partners around the world – to tackle climate change and address its impacts.”
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As of Thursday morning, there are 439 active wildfires in Canada, and 250 of those are considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. The same data shows that 116 of the 439 wildfires are under control and 73 are contained.
An interactive map from Natural Resources Canada showed that parts of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia are at the highest fire risk as of Wednesday.
As of June 8, 2023, there are 439 active wildfires in Canada, and 250 of those are considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. (James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Smoke from the fires in eastern Canada has drifted south into the United States, prompting warnings of unhealthy and hazardous air quality from the mid-Atlantic through the Northeast and parts of the Upper Great Lakes, according to AirNow.
As of midnight Thursday, multiple areas in the Northeast region were facing “dangerous” air quality index levels over 400, forcing warnings to “avoid all outdoor activities.”
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Most of the cities with the highest alert level were in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey region, with Philadelphia at 407 and Trenton at 416.
New York City also experienced a “dangerous” alert with an air quality index of 301.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires loom over Times Square in New York City on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
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As the smoke is expected to continue to impact the US in the coming days, the US Environmental Protection Agency has issued the following recommendations: wear an N95 respirator if the air appears smoky, limit time outdoors by only performing essential activities, and work outdoors to reschedule.
