Wildfire Smoke Causes Toronto's Air Quality to Temporarily Rank Worst in the World

CNA News

(CNA Toronto, 15th – comprehensive international report) Affected by smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario, Canada, the air quality in Toronto, the country's largest city, was temporarily rated the worst among major global cities. The smoke spread across parts of the northeastern United States, turning skies hazy and gray, prompting health advisories in multiple regions urging the public to reduce outdoor activities.

According to reports from AFP and Reuters, wildfire smoke turned Toronto’s skyline into a dull yellowish-gray. Data from Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir showed that the city’s air quality was worse than that of New Delhi, India, and Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Armen Araradian of IQAir stated, 'The main factor currently driving the spike in air pollution in Toronto is wildfires, with above-average temperatures also playing a contributing role.'

Environment Canada reported that Toronto’s Air Quality Health Index reached 10+, classified as 'very high risk.' Forecasts indicate that hazardous air quality may persist until tomorrow night.

The wildfires are currently burning hundreds of miles away from Toronto in sparsely populated areas. While they do not directly threaten the city, the smoke has covered a vast region.

A widely circulated video on social media showed a train operated by Canadian National Railway (CN) surrounded by intense flames near Armstrong, over 500 kilometers north of Toronto.

The footage, taken from inside the locomotive, shows crew members waiting for another train to pass at a meeting point, with the windows glowing orange from the surrounding fire.

CBC News confirmed with Canadian National that, for safety reasons, CN employees and residents of the town of Armstrong were evacuated on the evening of the 13th.

Smoke from the wildfires has also degraded air quality in several U.S. regions south of Canada, most severely affecting Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire.

New York has already begun feeling the effects of the smoke. In a few days, the FIFA World Cup final will be held in nearby New Jersey. Local authorities have issued air quality alerts due to unhealthy levels, advising the public to reduce strenuous outdoor activities over the next two days and to take frequent breaks if going outside.

Official data shows that as of today, there are still 835 active fire points across Canada, with 112 of them out of control. Approximately 1.9 million hectares of forest have been burned, primarily concentrated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.

Although 1.9 million hectares have burned this year, the scale remains far below that of 2023. The year 2023 was Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, with nearly 18 million hectares of land destroyed. (Translation: Tsai Chia-min) 1150716

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